Some Things Are Meant To Be: A New Twist
by CCNilesBabcock
Summary: "After C.C. comes back from her stay at the place, she decides to quit in order to heal, leaving a stunned Niles behind. She decides to travel abroad to try and forget what had once been her life, but will she be able to do it? Or fate has something else planned for our favourite couple?" A new twist to the story "Some Things are Meant To Be". More information in the prologe!
1. Chapter 1

**_Some Things Are Meant To Be: A New Twist_**

 ** _Prologue_**

Hello! Some of you may remember my story "Some Things Are Meant To Be" and this is basically an alternative version of what could have happened. For the people who didn't read the original story (and I warn you now, I am about to spoil it for you if you keep reading) the plot was centred on C.C. quitting after her mental breakdown and travelling far away (to Argentina, in fact. Buenos Aires, to be more precise) to clear her mind and start turning her life around.

However, things didn't go exactly as planned (which is a relief, because if not there wouldn't be a story to tell!) and our favourite blonde met and befriended a charming, Scottish man who looked _remarkably_ similar to Niles – especially his eyes (the eyes are important, indeed). As it so happened, this man (called Patrick) helped C.C. realise she is in love with Niles, but after she attends a party with him and they both have one too many, one thing led to another and… well… things ended up in a hotel room. Oh, and one important detail here is that C.C. screams Niles name during the act… yep… she did it and she was mortified the following morning. Hence her not wanting to see poor Patrick again.

Anyway, a month after this little liaison, C.C. discovers she is carrying a bun in the oven!

Yes, folks, she got knocked up by a carbon copy of Niles (a therapist would have a field day with this, let me tell you).

C.C. decides to continue the pregnancy after a heartfelt talk with her father, but she decides to not contact the Sheffields while she is pregnant.

Now, in my original story C.C. bumps into Niles when her daughter, Amelia, is 3 months old and that's how their love story begins and ends up with them falling in love, Niles adopts Amelia and they eventually get married.

Yep. _Good ol' happy ending_ (Although, if I must say, it isn't quite as simple as it sounds!).

This new twist is centred on what would have happened if C.C. actually had bumped into Niles… _5 years later_.

By all means, I hope you liked this (hopefully entertaining) summary, and I'd be truly glad if you gave my other story a read too (It's called only "Some Things Are Meant To Be"). If you liked the plot, then please get comfortable and enjoy!

Oh, one last thing. This little twist was co-written with my bestie and fav writing buddy TheCrownedLioness.

Now yes, without further ado, we leave you to the story…


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 1_**

 ** _Ghosts of The Past_**

The sky was foretelling it – a storm was coming. The grey clouds were looming over the city, and the chilly autumnal wind swirled around the many commuters, most of them too caught up in their little routines to appreciate the silent beauty of the stormy sky. Niles, unlike them, did cherish it; so much so that he was stood outside the family car, leaning against the driver's door and staring into the sky. His eyes might have been focused in the sky, but his thoughts were dancing around another storm entirely – a _human storm_ , to be more precise.

A human storm named C.C. Babcock.

He had taken to calling Miss Babcock a storm because her memory – the memory that she was not there with him – had the same destructive force as the most vicious tempest.

Niles could scarcely believe it had been six years since he had last seen her. Six torturously long _Babcockless_ years.

Six years which he'd basically spent thinking about her on every waking moment. Six years of wondering why she had suddenly stopped writing to him. Six years of dreading that she had forgotten about him and moved on with her life.

Six years of a waiting that, at times, felt eternal.

Had it really been that long, though? It sometimes didn't feel like it.

He still remembered the afternoon when he had helped her pack for her trip as if it had been yesterday – and part of him wished it had been yesterday!

That had been the last time he had ever seen her, and their goodbye had felt... unfairly brief.

There had been so many things that he had wanted to tell her! So many things he knew had been left unsaid. So many things that he'd kept to himself in fears of tampering with an equilibrium that he hadn't realised had already been jeopardised.

That afternoon had been uncharted territory – a limbo where neither of them had know by what rules to play. Unknowingly, he'd allowed his chance to open up his heart to slip through his fingers, and this haunted him.

He hadn't been brave enough to ask her to stay. And now she was gone.

And he was still here.

Wondering. Dreaming. Hoping.

Hoping that someday, perhaps, she'd reappear, and then he'd have the opportunity to tell her just how much he loved her and how sorry he was for everything that had happened between them. Especially for her mental breakdown.

The latter had become an unbearably heavy cross to bear, if he was being honest.

He needed to talk to her… he needed to say that he was sorry. The guilt was still gnawing at him, eating up the happiness in his life, even after all these years. Granted, the twins had brought some much needed joy ito his life, but it wasn't nearly enough.

Nothing but seeing her again would be enough.

But, as the years had gone past, he had learnt that he simply couldn't afford to dwell in those gloomy musings; he'd had to find a way to somehow go on – a purpose that would give his vapid life some meaning...

Luckily for him, that purpose had come in the shape of two young children.

Caring for Eve and Jonah were one of the few things that had kept him going. Ever since they were babies, Niles had been appointed as their caretaker when Mr and Mrs Sheffield couldn't attend to them, and one of his many duties, for example, was picking them up from school.

That hear, the pair of five-year-olds had begun attending one of the most exclusive kindergartens in New York, and Niles thoroughly enjoyed being able to pick them up after school or giving them a snack and helping them with their homework. It was a nice distraction...

It kept his mind from stubbornness wandering towards the blonde producer.

And, when all was said and done, seeing those two little faces smiling up at him had become rewarding.

But at the same time, it was somewhat bittersweet. He loved those two little children, but he was still just a butler. He was still stuck in the same place as before – he got to see the children grow, helped shape them into fine adults, but he was still just part of the staff. Not part of the family.

That was what probably hurt him the most – his lack of a family of hiw own.

Some days, when his longing got the best of him, he liked to imagine how it would have been like to form a family with C.C.. He liked to imagine how it would have been like to marry her, or the thrill of the first positive pregnancy test. He liked to imagine holding their child for the first time or the beauty of seeing them grow and hearing them calling them Mommy and Daddy…

But all that he had left of her, were his memories, and they felt like empty shells – ghosts of something that he wished he could have with him. Ghosts of her skin, her eyes, her smell… her voice.

That's probably what he missed the most – _her voice_. He'd give anything to hear her sultry laugh or her trademark "Hello Hello" one more time. He'd give anything to hear…

 _The distant sound of the bell ringing._

The shrilling sound brought him out of his daydream and his eyes travelled to the opening doors of the twins' kindergarten. He took a deep, calming breath and tried to muster a smile as he awaited for the youngest Sheffields to come. He looked around, observing the crowd of parents and nannies that surrounded him.

He rarely paid attention to the horde of adults that, just like him, waited for their respective charges to come out of school. For some reason, that day his mind found it interesting – there were nannies in their uniforms; gossiping mothers dressed in smart suits or fancy dresses; and occasionally one or two fathers, focused in their important phone calls. The typical sight outside a high-class school.

Finally, the teachers began letting the children out and Niles approached the entrance to receive Eve and Jonah. He seldom did that, but he'd rather be closer in case the storm began. He observed the many children running to their parents or caretakers, his eyes scanning the crowd for the two Sheffields (carbon copies of Fran and Maxwell, in his opinion). But suddenly… suddenly his eyes noticed a very peculiar girl crossing the door.

He almost subconsciously fastened his pace towards the door to get a better look of the child, his heart practically thumping against his chest. But how could it… it surely was his mind playing tricks on him?

It couldn't be that the young child standing before him was so incredibly similar to C.C.! And it certainly couldn't be that said child was running towards a tall, blonde woman who was waiting for her with her arms wide open.

"Mommy!" the girl screamed and jumped into the older woman's arms – C.C.'s arms.

"Hello, Little One!" she replied. "Mommy left her job early so I could come get you!"

It couldn't be.

She was back. Had been back for a long time, clearly, if she'd been able to enrol her...little girl...in a prestigious place like this one! It was the place all the richest children in the city went. Children needed to have their name down from birth to stand a chance of getting in!

She'd been in the same city as him for all this time, and he'd never known it. A pain shot through his heart. She clearly hadn't wanted him to know it. She'd obviously met someone else on her travels, gone off with him, married, and had this child...

He bitterly thought about the father. No doubt some rich hunk of a businessman, with his own place to live and a six or seven-figure salary...

No wonder he'd been pushed out. A butler with no prospects could hardly compete.

But while she was still there, hugging her little girl and gently swaying, at least he could look. Pretend that they'd had the chance.

Suddenly, something solid – two somethings – hit him as they collided with his legs, hugging.

"Niles!" the twins shrieked, and he beamed down at them.

"Hello, you two!" he boomed, making a show that he was pleased to see them, and that there was nothing wrong. Because every now and then, lying to children couldn't be the worst thing. Telling them the truth would be far worse. "Did you have a good day?"

He was still watching her as much as he could without looking away from them for too long. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her look up. Gasp. Put her down and crouch to speak to her.

What was going to happen? Was she going to make a run for it with her daughter, before he could stop and talk to her?

He couldn't allow that, not after it had been so long...

Instead, he quickly crouched down and looked at Master Jonah and Miss Eve, pointing towards the play area over to one side of the school building, "Tell you what, you two; I have something to do very quickly. Why don't the pair of you go and play for a while? I'll be keeping an eye out, but don't leave until I come and get you. Alright?"

The twins shrieked excitedly and nodded. As long as they were allowed to play, then they would behave, just like Niles had asked.

"Yes we will, Niles!" the twins responded in unison.

"Excellent. Off you go, then," he ushered them towards the play area and watched them until they were playing in the swings.

He then turned towards where C.C. and her daughter stood, feeling his chest growing tighter. The tall woman was just like he remembered her, only now she looked... _happier_.

And how couldn't she be happy? He thought bitterly; she had gotten married, had a child and was living the life she had always wanted. And he... what had he done? He was still a lonely butler, working in the same house, for the same family and pining after the same woman. A woman that, clearly, would never be his.

The crowd of parents and children had cleared up a bit, so he could see her more clearly. She was wearing an elegant black, Gucci dress; it was cut to the waist so it favoured her hourglass figure, and she was wearing a white parka on top of it to shield her from the autumnal winds.

She was busy getting her daughter into her own coat – the child didn't seem to want to put it on and she was clearly in a hurry to get out of there.

"But Mommy, I don't wanna put it on!" Amelia protested as her mother zipped up her jacket.

"And I don't care," the former producer replied sternly. "We wouldn't want you to catch a cold now would we? Who would take care of you if you got sick?"

The girl smiled and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. "You would, Mommy! Like you always take care of me when I get sick! It's like you say – it's just the both of us."

C.C. couldn't help the smile spreading across her features. She scooped her child in her arms and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I know, honey. And I love you very, very much."

"I love you too, Mommy," the little girl replied, hugging her mother tighter around her neck.

"I know, sweetie," C.C. stroked her daughter's hair, before pulling away to look her in the eyes. "But we've gotta go now, okay?"

Niles heard this all on his walk over. He couldn't help but be intrigued by what the little girl had said, and it made him pick up speed, like something inside him had become more eager when it had heard.

She'd said " _just the both of us_ ".

Did that mean the father wasn't around? The closer he got, the more clearly he could see that the blonde wasn't actually wearing a wedding ring. Had she been married but divorced? It was very quick for her if so. Had it simply been a relationship? Had he abandoned them? What fool would give up an absolute dream?

He had so many questions, and no right to any of the answers.

But that wasn't going to stop him from talking to her. Luckily, they still hadn't moved by the time he'd made his way over, and cleared his throat.

C.C. looked up at him. He couldn't tell if she was nervous, displeased, angry...maybe it was all of those things. He knew he was definitely the first one. It had been so long, and he wasn't quite sure how to start...

Neither of them appeared to be as they continued to stare at each other...

But the child had looked up, too, "Mommy, who's that?"

This snapped C.C. out of her thoughts, and she looked at her daughter, "Uh...Amelia, sweetie, why don't you go over to the play park, and I'll come and get you when I'm done here?"

Amelia let go of her mother, but still looked at her questioningly, "Why...?"

"Because Mommy has to have a talk with..." she looked up at him, and then back at the little girl, "an old friend, and it'll be very boring for kids, and it might take a long time."

"Then why don't we invite him home?" the child offered. "If it's gonna take a long time and he is your friend you can invite him home!"

If the butler hadn't been so wondered by C.C. actually having called him friend, he would be thanking God for the child's suggestion. It had been so long since he had last seen her... the only thing he wanted was to sit down together, talk things out and beg to be accepted back into her life.

And speaking of her life, it had clearly changed... he had never seen the former producer being so nice to a child in all his life! But judging by what he could see, C.C. Babcock was a loving and caring mother.

"Uh... sweetie, I don't know. My... _friend_ Niles has things to do and he has to take the Sheffield twins home," C.C. said. She almost smiled when she saw Niles' surprise at her knowing who the twins were – honestly, even if they weren't carbon copies of Maxwell and Nanny Fine, Eve's voice alone was enough to give their parentage away.

"They could come home too! They are in my class! Can they come play with me, Mommy?"

C.C. sighed. She couldn't deny her anything – much less when she looked up at her with those beautiful blue eyes that reminded her of the man stood right in front of her. They had to talk now, she knew it, but it would also mean they'd have to open a can of worms and some deep, old wounds.

"Alright," she eventually said. "I'll ask my friend if he can come," C.C. then looked over at Niles. "So… uh... as my daughter suggested, would you like to come over to my mansion? It's just six blocks away from the Sheffield's."

Niles glanced over his shoulder, back towards where the twins were playing. Jonah was busy taking turns on the slide, and Eve was sat on a swing, kicking her legs out to try and launch herself higher.

Their parents would be out for a little while, maybe an hour or two...that would surely be enough time to at least get the ball rolling? He did so want to try and be a part of her life again, even if it wasn't in the way he so desperately hoped.

And then, when she'd either told him that they could start to be friends again, or kicked him out of her life for good, he could take the twins home to their parents, who may or may not come back before they did.

As long as they were with him they were safe, after all. That was the main thing.

Taking a breath in, he nodded, "I'd like that. Very much."

C.C. chanced a smile at him, "Good!"

She leaned over to talk to Amelia, placing her hands on her legs as she did.

"Sweetie, why don't you go over and tell them that they're coming with all of us, hm?"

"Okay, Mommy!" the little girl scurried across the playground, leaving the two adults alone for the first time in years.

Alone, and without the faintest idea of what to say.

She avoided looking at him and kept her gaze firmly on the ground. She had so much explaining to do... and part of her didn't really want to.

They would have to talk about why she had left, about why she had come back... and about Amelia – more specifically, about how Amelia was conceived. Although she had tackled her fears of Amelia not being accepted due to her status as a single mother, it was still a topic that she'd rather not talk about. Mainly because she felt like she had failed Amelia by not giving her a father.

A father that she had desperately wanted to be Niles.

After many long and emotionally draining talks with Dr Bort, C.C. had come to the conclusion that Patrick was merely a placeholder – a substitute for the man she'd truly wanted. C.C. was glad that her girl looked like her, but her favourite thing about Amelia (apart from the fact that she was her utterly adorable baby gilr) were her eyes – Niles' eyes.

And speaking of Niles, the butler was the first to speak and break the uncomfortable silence they were in.

"Uh... so... how have you been?"

Discomfort and awkwardness were dripping from his words, but C.C. was thankful for him beginning the conversation again. As she looked up at him, she noticed he was fiddling with his hands, a clear sign of distress.

She smiled in an attempt to diffuse the tense atmosphere. "I've been... fine. Very busy too. I've been working with my father and, well, being a full-time mother. It can be tiring at times, but she's worth it, you know?" she looked over at her girl, who was giggling and squealing in delight with Jonah and Eve. "She's five now."

"Yes...very energetic age," he replied carefully, nodding. "The Sheffield twins...Master Jonah and Miss Eve, they just turned five as well."

"Such a handful, that they need all the help they can get, I imagine," C.C. remarked, her eyes not leaving her daughter and the two other children.

Niles nodded again, agreeing, "Indeed. But I'm more than happy to provide all the assistance I can manage."

 _Lucky them_ , C.C. thought to herself. She very nearly said it out loud, but felt that might be stepping over a line. It very nearly implied something far too close to what something in her mind was screaming to ask. Something she knew she couldn't yet say, even if through a lot of therapy, she had been able to admit it to herself.

Fortunately, Niles carried on the conversation before the silence became too long, "I do enjoy having younger children around the mansion again. It reminds me of when the eldest three were small. And of course, it keeps this old man on his toes, which is rarely a bad thing."

He hoped she appreciated what he was trying to do. He was dropping hints that being around young children didn't make him uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted was for her to say that he couldn't be a part of her life again because he wasn't going to get on with her daughter. From what he'd seen, the girl appeared delightful, so he doubted that would be the case, but the fear was still very much present.

Speaking of which, she and the Sheffield twins were fast approaching, all three skidding to a giggly halt in front of them.

"Amelia said we're all going to her house!" Eve piped up.

Niles smiled down at her and her brother, "Indeed we are, Miss Eve. Just for a while, though. And then we'll go home. Are you all ready?"

"Yes!" the three children squealed and dashed to their respective cars.

Funnily enough, Niles had unknowingly parked right behind C.C.'s car – a brand new Rolls-Royce Phantom VII – so the two adults quickly agreed that he would follow her to her mansion after the kids had been properly buckled into their respective car seats.

C.C. actually helped Niles by buckling Eve into her seat before taking care of Amelia, and once everyone was ready, the two cars began their way back to C.C.'s mansion.

Just like she had said, her home was only a few blocks away from the Sheffield mansion, and it was imposing. It was even bigger than the Sheffield's, and the heavy, oak door was decorated with a golden door knocker.

It was certainly a place where C.C. Babcock would live in, that was for sure.

The mansion's interior was just as impressive as the frontage. The elegant entrance hall counted with a comfortable closet and gave to a beautiful living room. The room was spacious and well-lit, it had two large windows encased by delicate ochre curtains, which had an excellent view of the street. There was a wonderful fireplace surrounded by a sofa and a number of arm chairs. Both the furniture and the room were done in earth tone colours, something that only enhanced the air of tranquillity in the room.

Just next to the fireplace there was a tall mahogany door that led to a beautiful dining room, which was also connected to the kitchen.

"Alright, you three," C.C. said as the children deposited their little backpacks inside the foyer closet. "Run to the kitchen and I'll give you a snack."

She ushered them towards the kitchen and smiled to herself when they practically dashed to it. She followed them, but Niles was too entranced by the many pictures that could be seen in the living room.

Pictures depicting her and Amelia's life – there were pictures of the two of them on family vacations, of the two of them with Stewart and Noel; pictures of Amelia as a baby and...

 _Wow_...

A beautiful picture of a heavily pregnant C.C. relaxing in the sun.

He knew she was beautiful, but this picture was... special. There was something about seeing her round and glowing due to her impending motherhood that just...

He didn't know how to describe it. There was just a sense of overwhelming awe and wonder.

Something in his mind – an annoying little part – made him think about how that feeling would be if he had been the one to put her in that position. But he shook it away like a horse would do to a particularly bothersome fly. He had no right to be thinking such things, and he was a guest in her house, and no matter what he felt for her, it was most likely that nothing was going to change.

He should be thankful that she hadn't immediately picked Amelia up and run before he had the chance to talk to her.

As he studied the pictures, he heard three sets of eager footsteps behind him, closely followed by C.C.'s voice telling them not to run in the house, and the footsteps slowed as they made their way upstairs. Probably to go to Amelia's room. The woman was rich, so her daughter probably had everything a child could possibly want or ask for, and the kids would most likely have a lot of fun in the time they were allowed to stay.

Soon after, the clicking of heels brought his attention fully out of his musing, and he turned to face her. She'd brewed two cups of coffee, and was holding one out to him for him to take, a soft smile on her lips.

"The kids got juice and Animal Crackers, but I thought you might want something a little more grown-up."

"Oh, yes..." he accepted the cup gratefully. "Thank you."

She indicated with her head towards the photographs, "Been admiring the pictures, right?"

She waited for him to nod, sipping her coffee before replying.

"Mm. It's the best little continuous project I've had in a while. Every time we do something new or something special, a picture of it goes on the wall."

She frowned, suddenly feeling sad looking at it. She absentmindedly used one hand to straighten one of the frames.

"A timeline just for two."

The way she said it... it made Niles sense that she regretted something. Something that she had wanted to change but hadn't.

If anything, the wall gave him the confirmation of what he had long suspected – Amelia's father was not part of C.C. and her daughter's life. He couldn't understand how someone would turn their back on this, but as selfish as it sounded, he was glad that he wasn't around.

He admired her for taking on the challenge of being a single mother, especially considering the section of society from where she came from. It mustn't have been easy, but she was a fighter.

"And it's an extremely beautiful one, I must say," Niles said and they shared a smile.

"Well... _she_ is certainly beautiful," C.C. indicated to a picture of a smiling Amelia. "Come, let's get comfortable."

As they walked to the sofa, Niles couldn't help but agree. Amelia was, indeed, beautiful, and she had gotten that beauty from her mother. C.C. was still absolutely breath-taking.

They sat down on the sofa and remained in silence for quite a long time, just nursing their cups of coffee on their laps. There were too many things to discuss, and neither knew exactly what to say.

"So... uh... you've got a beautiful house," Niles spoke before taking a sip of his coffee.

C.C. was once again ridiculously grateful for him having taken the first step. "Thank you. I moved here when I was pregnant with Amelia. It belonged to my father, but he gave it to me when he heard I was pregnant."

She gulped down a mouthful of coffee. She still remembered the fear and the unbelievable relief that had come with telling her father she was pregnant. Stewart and Noel had been nothing but supportive since she had told them the news, and, although itnhad taken time and a more than considerable amount of emotional talks, she was glad that her mother had eventually reconciled with her after Amelia had turned one year old.

"I got pregnant in Argentina," she suddenly blurted out. Part of her just needed to get this off her chest – if Niles couldn't accept this, then she'd rather not have him in her life, no matter how much it was going to hurt her. "She was... an unplanned surprise and I had no way of contacting her biological father when I discovered I was pregnant. I chose to keep her, and I don't regret it – she's made me the happiest I have ever been."

Niles thought about why she was telling him this. It was a sign of her trust in him; a trust which hadn't faded just because they'd been apart.

She was opening up, which was something new for them, but he was glad of it.

He didn't quite like the fact that he still knew barely anything about the little girl's father, but he supposed that really was none of his business. And if C.C. had no way of contacting him, then that probably meant she didn't know too much, either.

But it was all alright, despite the fear lacing her words. She was clearly testing to see his reaction, even though she needn't have worried. She'd been so strong to do this all by herself, in his mind. He wouldn't dream of judging her for this, for anything.

Amelia was loved and cared for, and C.C. was happy. They both were. That was the important part.

Why should he care about where Amelia had come from? The important thing was that there was love in that house – in that little family, that he wanted to be a part of, in any way he could possibly imagine.

"I'm glad that she's made you happy, unplanned surprise or not," he eventually said. "And I think you're tremendously brave, and, from what I've seen, a wonderful mother."

He had to add the last bit. Not because it wasn't true, but because he wasn't sure how patronising he was coming across by mentioning her bravery. Even if it sounded kind in his head, he didn't want it coming out sounding badly.

He hoped she wouldn't be offended. He didn't want to upset her. Not when he'd only just gotten her back (in some form).

He didn't look away as he waited for her reaction.

She tilted her head to one side and gave him a rather scrutinising look. It was almost as though she was considering his answer, but in the end she gave him a soft, thankful smile.

"Thank you... I certainly try to be the mother Amelia needs me to be," she looked down towards her lap, her eyes suddenly becoming clouded with an emotion Niles couldn't quite understand. "She saved me in many ways, too, so the least she deserves is me being the best mom I can be."

He felt an urge to wrap his arms around her and soothe her pain. C.C. had not only chosen to give birth to her girl, but she had also taken a responsibility that was usually shared between two parents. She was strong and brave and wonderful... he didn't understand why she feared she'd be a bad mother.

Instead of hugging her (that was still out of bounds) he reached out for her hand and covered it with his own. Much to his surprise she gripped it back.

"She was the reason why I... uh... definitely stopped drinking and smoking and taking prescription drugs," she confessed. It was time for another complicated part of their conversation. "Basically, after getting out of the sanatorium I decided I wanted to change my life – that I didn't want to be in that dark place anymore. But going back to the mansion... I couldn't do that. The entire environment was too stressful for me to recover. I mean, I ended up in a sanatorium because I had reached my breaking point; I was lost. I was a highly functioning alcoholic, the man I had thought I loved was getting married, the other important man in my life seemed to be happy for my misery, and I was losing my place in my own business, or that's what I felt after I saw Nanny Fine going into Maxwell's office and had a door close in my face. I was sick, and I had to deal with deep emotional issues that I had carried around for decades..." she sighed, taking another sip of her coffee. "I guess I just needed to get away to clear my mind and recover."

Niles frowned, considering her words carefully.

It was certainly admirable that she'd quit her addictions for her daughter. In that little girl, she'd managed to take a newfound responsibility for her own health. But that wasn't the beginning, by any means. It was merely a result of steps that she'd taken beforehand on the road to being healthy. And he couldn't help but be proud of her – for opening up to him like this, as well as for actually doing it.

She definitely seemed to have cleared her mind by getting away. But he still needed to clear his own, in a number of ways.

First of all, by coming to terms with his own guilt. It was obvious he was one of the reasons she'd left – he'd sent her to the sanatorium in the first place! How could he sit there with her, drinking her coffee and acting like he didn't have a bigger role in this than just her mentioning the "other important man" who seemed happy for her misery? She'd named a number of other reasons, but it was obvious she meant him by that comment, and it stuck out as more painful than the others.

He wished he hadn't tried to hurt her so much. Maybe things would have been different.

And he wanted to let her know this. She deserved to know. Looking back he had realised that his behaviour towards her had been, at times, unbelievably cruel. He knew pranks and zingers were their raison d'être back then, but he had gone overboard, and it had costed her sanity.

That was a cross he'd drag until his dying day.

"And a testimony of your strength is that you got to where you are today," he replied, squeezing her hand. "But, if I might ask, were... were my pranks what pushed you over the edge?"

His voice was on the verge of breaking. It was a question that had been tormenting him ever since he had taken her to the sanatorium all those many years ago.

"Was... was it my fault that you ended up at the sanatorium?"

C.C.' eyes widened, almost as though she had just realised something – did he really blame himself for her going to the sanatorium? Had he carried that weight in his heart for all those years?

"Oh… Niles," she edged closer to him, and much to his surprise, she hugged him. "Your pranks weren't the main reason why I went there-"

"But they helped," he interrupted her, a few tears running down his cheeks as he too wrapped his arms around her back.

"Niles, I don't blame you. We had a routine – a dynamic we had built over the course of fifteen years. You insulted me, I insulted you back. I enjoyed our games, I really did, but I was not well and I couldn't deal with my life in general. At a certain point our games became too aggressive, and neither of us knew when to put a stop to it. I didn't ask for help, and you had no way of knowing I was spiralling down into a deep, dark hole."

Briefly releasing him, she settled her cup of coffee on the table in front of them, gently took his own from him and put it next to hers, and then returned to his arms. She felt safe there, and she wanted him to feel safe with her, too.

She had to let him know that it wasn't all his fault. She'd been gone six years, and he'd probably been living with this for all that time...he must have felt terrible. And she couldn't help but feel guilty for leaving him in this position. But she didn't mention that out loud – he already felt bad enough as it was, and she didn't want this to continue into a vicious circle of one feeling bad for making the other feel bad.

"It's over now," she told him, holding him tight. "We can start again."

Starting again sounded good to him. They could re-learn what it felt like to be around the other. They could catch up on things that they'd missed, and talk about Amelia some more if C.C. felt like it, and just generally learn to be comfortable.

Friends. They could actually try learning to be real friends. And whatever happened after that was a bonus he'd be overjoyed to receive, but wouldn't press for.

He'd be honoured to be in her life in any capacity.

He pulled away, using his sleeve to wipe his eyes, "That...I'd like that. The starting again part, I mean."

She smiled up at him and cupped his cheek, using her thumb to brush away one last, lone tear. Friendship was not the only thing she wanted – and it wasn't the only thing he wanted, either – but it was a start. Too many things had changed and too much time had passed to jump to any other type of relationship.

They'd start small and then see where the road took them.

"That's good, because I like the idea too," she removed her hand from his face and wrapped it around his hand instead. "For now, what do you say if we check on the little ones? It's almost time for us to start cooking dinner."

Niles glanced at his watch and nearly gasped. It was 17:45 hs already?! He needed to be home by 18:00!

"Wow! Time certainly flies past..." he muttered, rubbing his nape. He was slightly – okay, he was _really_ – disappointed that he had to leave already. After being away from her for so long, he'd rather spend some time with her.

She seemed to pick up on this. "Tell you what – why don't you come over for dinner on your free day? We can chat and spend more time together."

"That actually sounds like a wonderful idea," he replied as they both got to their feet and began making their way upstairs. "I am free on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays."

"Then would you like to come this upcoming Friday?"

"Sounds perfect," he replied, beaming. This was a new beginning, and he was planning to enjoy it.

After years of basically not knowing how the other was doing, dinner plans was like a gift sent from God himself.

And as they walked to Amelia's room, they couldn't help but feel that they were, indeed, blessed.

* * *

 **AN: And here you have the first chapter! We hope you liked it :) There are more to come! We'd appreciate your reviews.**

 **HL**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 2_**

 ** _It Was Always You_**

"Where do you keep going every Friday evening, Scarecrow?" Fran asked, leaning over the counter and observing Niles load a small basket with a homemade chocolate cake. "I know you said it's personal, but ya can't keep us in the dark forever!"

Niles barely looked up from what he was doing as he shook his head. He knew the former nanny was practically dying out of curiosity, and she'd use any opportunity to beg him to tell her the truth behind his weekly escapades, but the butler hadn't caved in.

"I certainly can, Mrs Sheffield," he replied, putting the lid on the basket. "And for now, I am afraid I will."

"But Niles," Fran whined, edging round the counter and tugging at his sleeve, "why would you keep secrets from yer best friend?!"

 _Because C.C. asked me to_ , he thought.

After their first encounter a month and a half ago, Niles had made a habit of visiting her once a week. They had agreed to try and be friends, so their weekly dinners had helped them get reacquainted and slowly begin rebuilding the bond that had been almost lost.

It is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and Niles could only agree. He was still head over heels for her, and the years that they had been apart had only worsened his need for her. That's probably why being just friends was a bit of a challenge for Niles.

Friendship wasn't what he wanted, but he wouldn't dare to ask for more.

It was all up to her now...

They hadn't discussed her time in Argentina or Amelia's father – as a matter of fact, he hadn't seen Amelia again since that day at her kindergarten. He always came late in the evening – he had to cook dinner for the Sheffields first – and they had dinner way past Amelia's bedtime. Not to mention that he and C.C. had agreed to get up to date with each other and see where that took them before he started spending time with her daughter.

But for them to properly be on firm ground, he knew that they needed to talk about what had happened all those many years ago. She was clearly reluctant of doing so, and he was more than willing to give her all the time she'd until she was ready to open up about one of the most difficult times in her life.

And it wasn't like having dinner with her was unpleasant – far from it, in fact. The zingers were slowly finding their way back into their conversations, they had become more comfortable around each other, they had learnt about each other's lives, Niles had heard everything about Amelia (which was wonderful in Niles's opinion. He knew getting along with her daughter would be pivotal for them to have any kind of relationship) and about C.C.'s new life and job.

Of course there had been emotional and difficult conversations, too – such as when C.C. had told Niles about her mother briefly vanishing her from her life when she'd found out about Amelia – and each of these conversations had only strengthened their ever-growing bond.

So, considering the delicate situation they were in, they had agreed not to involve the Sheffields for the time being. Thus, every Friday Niles would say he had an engagement with an old friend before retiring to the blonde's house. This mysterious friend had piqued Fran's attention, to say the least, but Niles, in a very uncharacteristic manner, had kept his mouth shut.

"Mrs Sheffield," Niles sighed, turning to face Fran. "How long have we known each other?"

"Ten years. But wha-"

"Have I ever kept any secrets from you?" he asked, looking into his friend's eyes.

"No..." the former nanny muttered.

"Then, if I am withholding information from you, don't you think it's because I truly have to?"

A long silence reigned in the room. Fran seemed to be considering his words with care, and despite the fact that she was dying to know what was going on with Niles, she had to accept he did have a point. She and Niles were two Yentas, and neither kept secrets from the other unless it was strictly necessary.

She knew he trusted her, so he probably did have a good reason for not telling her about this friend of his.

"Alright..." she held out her hands in defeat. "But promise me you haven't gotten into somethin' weird or dangerous."

The butler grasped the former nanny's hands. "I promise you I haven't."

Fran pulled him in for a tight hug. "Thank ya, Scarecrow. And I only believe ya because you've been a lot happier since ya started visiting this friend of yours."

"Indeed I am," he laughed, returning the hug. "But now I should really be going."

"Then I won't keep ya any longer," Fran pulled away and jokingly pointed a warning finger at him. "But I want a chocolate cake for the house, too!"

"It's already done – look in the oven," Niles grabbed the basket and crossed the kitchen to the back door.

He heard Fran humming in delight as he walked out of the mansion and began his way to C.C.'s home. He was at her doorstep barely ten minutes later, being allowed in by her maid. He followed her to the backyard, where C.C. awaited.

And the sight he found there almost melted his heart – C.C. was sat on a hammock, gently swaying back and forth as Amelia napped. The young girl was lying on her upper body, with her head on C.C.'s chest and her tiny arms wrapped around her mother's back. He thanked the maid, who returned to her duties in the house, and approached quietly, greeting her with a silent wave as she slowed the hammock to a halt.

"Hey," she beamed, keeping her voice low and quiet. "You all ready?"

"As I'll ever be," he grinned in reply, holding out his hands, which had been behind his back, to show her the basket he'd brought with him. "As I know you wouldn't take kindly to a gift of a bottle of wine, I made us some dessert instead."

C.C. gasped quietly, taking a hand to her chest as best she could, what with Amelia lying on it, "Oh, Niles, thank you!"

He shook his head, "No need to thank, it was a pleasure. Do you need some help standing up by any chance?"

It was C.C.'s turn to shake her head, "No thanks, I got it."

Carefully holding her daughter to her, she rose from the hammock, and leaned the child against her shoulder.

"If there's one thing you learn from being a single parent, it's how to do things like that," she said, smiling, before indicating up to the house. "Come back inside, we can put her down in her room, and then I can show you what we have for dinner."

He felt a mixture of awe and sadness. He truly admired her for being such a good mother to Amelia – even though she was rich, single parenthood wasn't easy, and she excelled at it – but he was saddened by her having to do all by herself. He wanted to offer his help, but he wouldn't push the subject.

It was her decision, after all.

They went into the house and climbed the stairs to the second floor. There were a number of doors down the hallway – they walked past the first one and came to a halt before the second door. It was easy to see that it was the entrance to Amelia's room – there was a wooden sign on which the child's name had been carved. It was painted in lilac and white. She then opened the door to reveal an ample room, equipped with everything a young child could need. There was a library full of books, a small desk, loads of toys, stuffed animals and toy chests, an elderberry canopied bed...

It was beautiful.

The walls were filled with drawings Amelia had made, and with pictures of C.C. and her child. He could feel the love in that room – all the effort that had been put in it, and it made him smile.

"Hand me her pyjamas," C.C. whispered. "They are under her pillow."

He quickly did so and be busied himself with preparing the bed for Amelia while C.C. changed her into her pyjamas.

"All set," C.C. cooed as he daughter blearily blinked up at her – she had awoken when C.C. changed her. "Ready to go to bed, sweetie?"

"Yes, Mommy. But can you read me a bedtime story and give me my goodnight kiss?" the girl mumbled.

Niles hoped C.C. said yes. He wanted to see this – it somehow helped her imagine what it would feel like to be a family.

C.C. quickly looked up at him, "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, of course not," he smiled back, shaking his head a little.

He was actually beyond happy that she'd been concerned about what he'd think before making her decision. It had nothing to do with him, and yet she'd made the decision to ask first.

He was important to her, he knew that. But this let him know that it was a special kind of importance.

She smiled back at him gratefully, and began to tuck her daughter in, comfortably and cosy. The little girl was still half-asleep from her nap, really, and C.C. didn't think it would take too long for her to fall asleep again.

She then took down a little book of fairy tales from a shelf, seated herself on the edge of Amelia's bed, and began to read Cinderella.

Niles watched from a distance, entranced and enchanted. C.C. really was the perfect mother – she did all the voices, and all the actions to make her daughter giggle (he even found himself laughing at one stage!), and eventually the book was done.

"Read me something else, Mommy," the little girl pleaded, stifling a yawn. She was determined to stay up, that both adults could see.

C.C. pulled a face at her, thinking. She didn't want to disappoint her daughter, but at the same time, she didn't want to keep Niles waiting. Maybe a poem from the book next to the one she'd picked out...

"Alright, but just one more..." she reached up, brought the book down, opened it and started to read.

 _"Where am I going? I don't quite know._

 _Down to the stream where the king-cups grow-_

 _Up on the hill where the pine-trees blow-_

 _Anywhere, anywhere, I don't know._

 _Where am I going? The clouds sail by,_

 _Little ones, baby ones, over the sky._

 _Where am I going? The shadows pass,_

 _Little ones, baby ones, over the grass._

 _If you were a cloud, and sailed up there,_

 _You'd sail on water as blue as air,_

 _And you'd see me here in the fields and say:_

 _"Doesn't the sky look green today?"_

 _Where am I going? The high rooks call:_

 _"It's awful fun to be born at all."_

 _Where am I going? The ring-doves coo:_

 _"We do have beautiful things to do."_

 _If you were a bird, and lived on high,_

 _You'd lean on the wind when the wind came by,_

 _You'd say to the wind when it took you away:_

 _"That's where I wanted to go today!"_

 _Where am I going? I don't quite know._

 _What does it matter where people go?_

 _Down to the wood where the blue-bells grow-_

 _Anywhere, anywhere. I don't know."_

She remembered the time when, many years ago, she hadn't minded or known where she wanted to go, either. Anywhere had been better than New York, and despite the hardships that had come along the way, she knew she had made the right decision. Being a single mother wasn't easy – at times it was actually incredibly challenging – but she wouldn't trade her little one for anything in this world.

Actually, it was more like Amelia was her world, if she was being honest.

She had always been a rather aloof and detached person – she struggled to bond with people and her personality was challenging – but with Amelia it was different. The love she felt for her child was deep, all-consuming and total; she would die for Amelia, and she had never known it was possible to love someone this much.

And, honestly, she liked loving someone that much and being loved back, too.

But sometimes, she craved a different type of love – romantic love, to be more precise. A love she hadn't allowed herself to experience since she'd returned from Argentina.

As she finished the poem (and much to C.C.'s relief) Amelia finally fell asleep. Just as promised, C.C. gave her a goodnight kiss, and tiptoed out of her room, leaving the door ajar in case she needed something.

"Sorry for the delay," she gave Niles an apologetic smile. "She can't go to bed if we don't do this."

"It's no problem – actually, it's quite nice seeing this softer side of your personality."

C.C. smirked. "Who knew I had it in me, right? Well... I guess being a mother changes you. It's really hard to explain this to someone who doesn't have children of their own, but the love you have for your child is... limitless. I would give my life for her and she is my driving force – my everything. It's a selfless type of love... you don't expect anything in return. Just seeing her happy and smiling is enough."

Her little speech warmed his heart considerably. Seeing her happy and smiling was enough for him, too, but he knew it wasn't exactly the same feeling. Being a parent was something out of the realms of his experience, even if he had looked after children for parents and cared like they were his own. There was a line between acting like a parent and actually being one. He wondered if he would ever get the opportunity, if C.C. would allow him the opportunity, to help be a parent for Amelia.

But that was a question for another day. They had agreed to be friends, and he wasn't going to jeopardise it by trying to rush things. She had him entirely, and he was going to take everything at her pace, until they were both ready to see what the future held.

They made their way downstairs to the kitchen, where C.C. began to remove ingredients from the fridge for his inspection and approval – it was to be their dinner that night, so she wanted to make sure it was the best it could possibly be.

"Take a look, Martha Stewart," she gestured to the array of different items out on the counter. "What do you think of the selection?"

Niles smirked openly, but inside he felt something deeper stir. She was asking his approval before she made them anything. Again, she valued his opinion. He perused over the choice, making a series of strange, overly-dramatic intrigued faces, succeeding in making her laugh.

"I think you've done well here," he eventually said. "The vegetables all look fresh, the salmon isn't a bad colour...but..."

C.C. froze, not understanding what could be wrong. She'd bought everything that morning, it couldn't be bad. She'd so wanted this dinner to go well, it was her first time cooking for someone who wasn't a relative, and she wanted to do it right. Especially because that someone who wasn't a relative was Niles...

He leaned over, smiling softly, "How about I prepare and cook them? You've been working so hard, I think it's your turn to take a break."

The suggestion took C.C. by surprise. Part of her wanted to say no – he was her guest, the proper thing to do would be to cook for him – but at the same time she'd simply love Niles to cook for her. Back when Amelia was a baby, C.C. remembered that she had taken cooking classes so she could give her child proper an md tasty meals when she'd grown older, but nothing that she cooked could ever equal Niles's cooking.

It wasn't that her meals tasted bad – actually, she had become quite a good cook over the years – but there was something about Niles' food that made it special. Maybe it was the simple fact that he cooked it, but it was definitely special.

So maybe they could reach a compromise – she wouldn't be cooking dinner by herself but neither would Niles.

 _They'd do it together_.

"Although this newfound altruism suits you," she grabbed a spare apron from one of the kitchen cupboards and gave it to Niles. "I still want to show you that – unlike what happened when I took cooking classes when I was a producer – my meals are now edible. Let's cook together."

He squinted his eyes at her, trying hard to hold back a beaming smile. "Are you trying to poison me? I should watch you closely to check you don't slip anything weird in my plate."

The producer chuckled and swatted at the back of his head. "Please, if I wanted you dead I would kill you in a much more entreating way than by poisoning you, Hazel. Now, come on, let's get down to business!"

"Bossy, as usual," he retorted as he observed her grabbing a knife and a cutting board so she could begin chopping the vegetables. "Do tell me, now that you are no longer a producer, who do you scream to on a daily basis? I remember you loved to scare the poor choreographers and stage managers."

"Interns are my new preys," she replied airily, an impish smile playing about her face. "But now that I have you back in my life, I am being easier on them and sending all the zingers your way, of course."

The butler sighed exaggeratedly as he poured some oil on a frying pan and put it on the oven's burner grate. It was still turned off for he still had to season the fish. "Ah, I shouldn't have expected anything else from you – you do love to make my life as hard as possible."

She smirked at him. "And would you have it any other way, Minute Maid?"

He grinned back as he thought about his answer. No. He wouldn't. If there was one thing he knew he loved about her, it was the fact that even when they were blatantly insulting each other and setting elaborate pranks, they both knew how much they were enjoying it. That kind of thrill was something he'd especially missed when she'd been gone, and now they were back, in the same room and speaking, he was glad they had the opportunity for it again.

He hoped she was, too. If the glint in her eyes was anything to go by, he'd say yes.

"I think we both know the answer to that one, don't we?" his features softened, until he was smiling at her with what he hoped was only a hint of the adoration he felt. He didn't want to go overboard and have it all blow up in his face by her asking why he was looking at her like that.

He didn't know when the right time to talk about moving forward would be. But he was almost certain C.C. would say that time wasn't now.

"I think we do," she replied gently, and there was a pause before she returned to chopping the vegetables. "But we'd better get these underway and cooking, before we both starve."

He nodded in agreement, and returned to preparing the salmon. C.C. had actually made a fine selection in the food she'd picked, and he was rather impressed, to tell the truth.

Friends, more than friends, whatever it was that they were, it was surely going to be a marvellous dinner with the two of them working together to make it good.

Once the meal had been properly prepared, Niles took care to set the table while C.C. plated their meals. The smell inside the kitchen was heavenly, and it was slowly wafting into the living room, making his stomach growl. C.C. had prepared steamed vegetables and a Waldorf salad for them and he was sure it would go wonderfully with the baked salmon.

As C.C. didn't drink anymore, he quickly prepared some orange juice for them and poured it in two glasses. He then cut some of the homemade bread C.C. had made that afternoon and settled it in a bread bin which he then took to the table.

They sat down, but C.C. briefly got back to her feet and turned on the stereo so that there was some background music. The soft, dulcet tone of Ella Fitzgerald's voice danced around the room, awaking something that had been dormant in both butler and former producer. The singer's voice made them think of that night, all those many years ago, when they had danced together. They'd held each other close, not wanting to let go...

"So, how is it?" she asked as she got back into her chair and took a bite of her salmon. "I must admit your cooking is still amazing, Julia Child, but what about mine?"

He feigned a look of disgust as he swallowed some of the steamed vegetables – in truth they were absolutely delicious.

"Meh... it could be worse," he quickly gave her a smile when he noticed her worried look. "Just kidding. It's wonderful."

"That's what I wanted to hear," she grinned. "You know, I should make you taste Locro and alfajores! Patrick and I..." C.C. trailed off, grimacing. "I mean... Amelia's father introduced me to those two things."

Silence. Silence for a very long time.

She had said it… she had mentioned Amelia's father.

They needed to talk about her time in Argentina, and what had gone on with Patrick. She needed to hear him accepting what had happened, because even though he had accepted that she had Amelia, it could be a completely different story when he'd heard about what happened between her and the other man.

It wasn't like they could do anything about it, but she didn't want it hanging over them.

Niles didn't want it hanging over them, either, and he settled his cutlery down, leaning back a little in his seat to look at her. He supposed that if any time was a time for questions, it was now. Before things got so serious that leaving them any longer would be the opposite of beneficial.

"I see," he bit the inside of his lip, thinking. "If I might ask...how did the two of you meet?"

"He was staying in the same hotel as me, in Buenos Aires," C.C. kept her eyes on her food, but didn't touch it. "We became good friends, and ended up spending a lot of time together. We went out sightseeing together, and had a lot of fun."

He couldn't help but feel his stomach churn more than a little at the prospect of some other man out in a beautiful city with C.C., taking in the sights and enjoying both the day and her company. Nonetheless, he allowed her to continue without interruption. He had a feeling the next part was going to be the worst part, and it would be best to get it over and done with, anyway.

"So much so, that...well, we went to a party. A celebration of Argentina's independence," she said, her tone almost completely flat. "We danced. We laughed. We had far too much to drink, and… the rest is history."

In the silence, Niles swallowed, "Yes..."

"I didn't see him after that," C.C. continued, still not looking up at him. "I was embarrassed, and he left the country before I knew about Amelia. So I went it alone."

 _Alone_. It sounded like she'd much rather prefer she hadn't. Maybe she'd wanted this Patrick to stay – with her and with their daughter. He had to know, in some way or another, if this was the case. A part of him told him this was far too personal. He had no right to be delving in so deep. But another part didn't care. It wanted to know if he was holding out for a woman who was already lost to someone else.

His voice was almost hoarse as he asked his final, and perhaps most important, question, "Did you love him?"

And it was then when she finally looked up and into his eyes. She didn't look angry, but she did appear uncomfortable. He didn't know if it was due to his question alone or due to the topic they were discussing in general, but he did hope his question didn't get him kicked out of her home for good. He was afraid of what her answer would be, too. If she was in love with Patrick, then he wasn't sure if he'd be able to bear her rejection.

But rejection was the last thing in C.C.'s mind. As a matter of fact, she was pondering over what she should do – should she tell him the whole truth? About her hanging out and then sleeping with Patrick because he reminded her of the butler? Or should she hide that?

Somehow she felt like she had to be honest with Niles.

Years of therapy had allowed her to realise just how much she (still) loved Niles, but at the same time, she didn't want to put him in an uncomfortable situation. Motherhood and fear been what had pushed her to avoid contacting both Niles or the Sheffields for half a decade... so would it be fair to spring Niles with a declaration of love?

There was no correct answer, but she did know what her heart wanted to say.

She could only hope it would shatter their incipient... _relationship_? Because, by this stage of the conversation, they both suspected that the other wanted more than being just friends.

"No... I didn't love him. I never did. He was just a really good listener and helped me out with many of my emotional struggles, but I was attracted to him because he looked like someone I loved – that I still love."

Niles felt his heart breaking. Surely the man looked like Mr Sheffield – he must have been tall, well-mannered and rich, with charming brown eyes... he'd been a fool to believe that C.C. could love him back. She was still taken by Mr Sheffield. That's probably why she had stayed away from the mansion – because she now had a child that depended on har, and because she'd surely wanted to spare herself the pain of seeing the man she loved being married to someone else.

"And I still remember when I first met Patrick," her voice interrupted his troubled musings. "His eyes were the first thing that called my attention – they were a bright shade of blue. Beautiful, and full of life. They complemented his charming lop-sided grin."

She said all this wile staring into the butler's eyes.

"He was just like you."

And then his heart stopped. Or it sped up so fast it gave that impression. He couldn't tell and he didn't care. The blood had been pumping loudly in his ears, but he could have sworn that...she'd just basically confessed to loving _him_...!

He couldn't believe it. Patrick had been a _substitute_ for _him_ , because she couldn't have the real thing? She loved him, oh God, _she loved him_! His chest felt like it could burst, and he wanted to sing his joy from the rooftops, that out of all the most insane fantasies he'd ever had in his life, the one which seemed least likely was the one to come true...

He wanted to get up, to round that table right then, take her into his arms and kiss her. Kiss her long enough to make up for all the years that they'd not had each other, until Buenos Aires and everything that had happened there had happened a long time ago...

Maybe it had happened a long time ago. Maybe for the sake of what she was saying right then and there, it could be put into the past and they could move forward. Together.

Like they both wanted.

But how to do it? He couldn't keep her waiting longer than he already was. It was probably making her nervous to see him so silent...

"It was me, all along?" he asked, still almost not believing as tears sprang to his eyes. "I'm the one you love..."

"Yes," C.C.'s own eyes were wet, too, and her breathing hitched. She had to know what he was thinking, what he was going to say next...it could make or break them forever.

"Good," Niles gave her a beaming, if watery, smile. "Because I don't think I'd be able to handle it much longer if I couldn't say how much I love you, too."

They didn't know who stood up first, but what they did know was that they were soon clinched in a tight embrace and their lips were melding together.

For some moments, the world around them ceased to exist – it was just them and their lips touching. Despite the many years that they had spent apart, the kiss wasn't forceful or rushed – it was more like a caress... like the feeling of silk rubbing against skin.

It was soft, sweet and fulfilling. Basically, everything they had been craving for.

Niles wound his arms around her waist as they kissed, while C.C. linked hers around his neck. They could hold each other forever, and neither of them wanted to let go.

They had been apart for too long. Now it was time to be together.

They pulled away only when they couldn't relinquish oxygen any longer, but they rested their foreheads together as their ragged breathings went back to normal.

"I love you, Niles," C.C. muttered, showering kisses all over his cheeks and lips.

"And so do I... I love you very, very much."

C.C. chuckled, although her laugh also hid a choked sob. She was so happy... but she had been afraid too. Afraid of her love not being requited; of Niles not loving her.

"It was always you... in Argentina I finally understood that I love you – that I need you."

"Then why didn't you come back to me?"

In his voice, she detected the pain, and knew right then and there rhat she'd made a grave mistake by thinking that her love wouldn't be returned.

It didn't help that she had thought, maybe, he'd not want her upon knowing she'd had a child. That he'd consider her someone else's in a way that he'd never been, or maybe even be. It had hurt her to think that he could look on her with hurt in his eyes, or even scorn, and reject her because of Amelia...

But he hadn't. He wouldn't. And she felt a little ridiculous.

"Because I was afraid," she confessed, bringing her hand to his cheek. "I was afraid that you wouldn't love me back. Not after everything that we'd been through, not after me running away like I did...and especially not after having Amelia. I thought you wouldn't want the burden of a child that wasn't yours. And I thought that you wouldn't be able to love a woman who'd had another man's baby. And even though I thought of you the entire time, I didn't think that would be enough. You'd want someone who hadn't gone away and done that at all..."

Niles stared at her, before bringing his own hand to cup her cheek, and pressing his lips to hers again. In that kiss, he demonstrated all his love, affection, and desire for her – physical proof that he wanted to reassure her of all of those things, and that her fears were nothing more than unwarranted anxiety.

As he released her from it again, he rested his forehead back against hers, "I'd love you no matter if you went or not. Amelia or not. She is a wonderful little girl, and I would never shame or refuse you for keeping her. You are her mother, that is a part of you, and I love all of you. I wouldn't trade you in any way, for anyone, or anything. What happened before now, in Argentina with Patrick...that's all in the past. And, if you want it, we could try to move forward...together."

Tears were running down C.C.'s cheeks as they held each other – why on Earth had she doubted him? How on Earth had she allowed the man she loved to be away from her? Maybe, if she had spoken to him sooner, they would have been able to sort things out many years ago; maybe they would have built their own family by this stage...

But the chance hadn't been lost. They still had the opportunity to, as Niles had said, move forever together.

It wouldn't always be easy, but if they were together then they would overcome any obstacle that came their way.

"Thank you," she said, her words sounding muffled as she burrowed her face in the crook of his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too," Niles responded.

They remained in a tight embrace for an endless moment. But then, they began to sway to the music that was still sounding in the background. They had missed dancing with each other, and there was probably no better opportunity to do so.

"I missed this," she muttered, her head resting comfortably on Niles' shoulder.

"Me too – I missed you," he carefully dipped her, making her laugh.

"Remember that time when-"

"Mommy?" Amelia's sleepy voice suddenly interrupted them. It was coming from the bottom of the staircase. "Mommy, I had a nightmare."

Niles pulled C.C. out of the dip as Amelia blinked up at them and they could only blink back.

He let her unwind her arms from him, and hurry over to her little girl, taking her in her arms.

"Oh, sweetie..." she sighed, picking her up. "You wanna talk about it?"

Amelia shook her head, and buried her head against her mother's shoulder. C.C. kissed the side of her head, stroked her hair, and rubbed her back.

"You want me to take you back upstairs?" she murmured.

Amelia nodded, "Mm-hm..."

"Alright, then, let's go..." C.C. made her way to the stairs, hesitating a little. She didn't entirely like the idea of abandoning Niles downstairs like this, even if it was for a good reason.

He seemed to pick up on this.

"Alright if I come, too?" he asked. "I've had a lot of experience, with the Sheffields, in getting children back to sleep."

Or he could just be his usual, caring, selfless self. But he was letting her make the decision - he didn't want to intrude where he probably felt he had no right.

But he had a right, in her mind. If they were going to be together, they should learn to do things like this together.

"Sure! That is, as long as you are fine with that, Little One?" C.C. looked down at Amelia – it all lay upon her now. The girl was used to being just them, so Niles wouldn't blame her if she wanted only C.C. to be with her right then.

"It's okay, Mommy," the little girl slurred, already feeling sleepy again.

And so, both adults climbed up the stairs and made their way to Amelia's room. The door was open and the sheets were tangled – no doubt due to Amelia having thrashed on the bed due to her bad dream – so, while C.C. held her daughter close, Niles tended Amelia's bed once again.

"Can you get in bed with me for a little while, Mommy?" Amelia asked as C.C. carefully lowered her onto her mattress.

C.C. didn't hesitate – she toed off her shoes and slipped in bed next to her daughter, who snuggled against her side before being enveloped by C.C.'s arms.

"Better?" C.C. asked and dropped a kiss on Amelia's forehead.

"Mm-hm," the child replied. "Can you tell me a story?"

"Oh, sweetie, I can't read if I am holding you," C.C. began, but was promptly cut off by Niles' clearing his throat.

"But I can," he said and looked at Amelia, who was peering up at him from the safety of her mother's arms. "Miss Amelia-"

"Mia," the child corrected.

"Alright, Mia, would you like me to read you and your mother a story so you can go to bed?"

The little girl thought for a moment, before smiling and nodding.

"Alright, then; that's what I'll do," he said, taking a look through the books she had on her shelf.

The girl had a number of fairy tales stored there, and he picked the one he thought might amuse her the most. He didn't want to send her off to bed dreaming of something frightening. Not again. She deserved a good night's rest.

Besides, if he and C.C. were going to be together, he should get to know Mia as well. He liked her already – she seemed a bright and happy child, but he knew that she would also have a say in how things developed between him and her mother. And of course he would respect that decision, but he would like it very much if she liked having him around, too.

He'd like it even more if they could be a family, but that was asking for too much, too soon.

He opened the book that he had picked out, cleared his throat, and-

"Sit on the bed," Mia told him, gesturing down towards the foot. "Like Mommy does."

He raised an eyebrow at C.C., asking her permission before moving. She nodded in return.

"It's okay, go on."

Smiling at her given permission, he seated himself on the edge of the bed, his lower back pressed against C.C.'s legs. Not on purpose, it was just that there wasn't so much room for two adults and a child...

They were sharing space, like an _actual_ _family_...

He began again, "Many, many years ago, there lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money so that he might have them..."

He read through the whole story, pulling silly faces to make her laugh, and reading the voices in different accents, and enjoying hearing her enjoying herself...

Even C.C. was laughing. Just like he had been when she'd read the first story, earlier.

They were having a good time, all together.

He didn't stop to think too much about how much like a family they looked like – as he had said before, that would be far too much far too soon.

For now he'd enjoy his incipient relationship with the former producer and he'd try to start getting to know her little girl. He liked her already, if she was being honest, and he was honoured that he had been allowed to be part of a personal and private moment such as tucking her in at night after a nightmare.

As the story came to an end, C.C. held her child – whose eyes were drooping – for a few minutes until she finally fell asleep. She was still quite young and depended a lot on C.C., but the former producer didn't mind to be there for as long as she needed her.

"She's asleep," C.C. whispered, carefully disentangling herself from her little girl and standing up. "Let's go back downstairs."

Niles nodded and carefully stood up, heedful of the need to be extra silent now that Amelia was back in bed. He stored the book in the shelf once again and the two adults tiptoed to the door, which they later left ajar.

After a brief excursion to the living room and the kitchen (Niles helped her clean up and cut two pieces of chocolate cake for them to enjoy) the former producer moved back to the stairway, beckoning for him to follow.

He wondered where he was taking him now, but he didn't complain. He'd go wherever she wanted...

Eventually, she opened the door to reveal an impressive and enormous, earth-toned, en-suite room. C.C.'s room.

"It's late already and I'd rather be closer to Amelia if she needs me," she offered, laying her plate on the bedside table and sitting on her bed. She then looked up at him – he was still stood at the door.

"Well," C.C. patted the empty side of the bed. "Are you coming or not?"

Niles blinked, his mind starting to conjure up questions for the images it was manifesting. What exactly did she want him to say? What was she expecting him – them – to do?

Surely anything like that was off the table for now? They had only just decided to try being together, let alone anything else.

At any rate, Amelia was only next door, which could prove awkward as well...

Perhaps it was best if he asked. Just be honest with her, and see what happened. She couldn't fault him for wanting to know what was going on, and he'd of course apologise for thinking something inappropriate if that's not what she had in mind.

"Uh..." he edged his way into the room, swallowing. "I hate to appear indelicate, but...what exactly were you thinking?"

C.C. studied him for a moment, and then her eyes widened in understanding.

"Oh!" she almost cried out, her hand going to her mouth and then to the plate of cake. "I didn't mean...I didn't just assume you'd want to-"

"No, no, please don't apologise," his pace quickened as he moved to sit where she'd patted. "I thought it might be too soon, and with Amelia right next door, well..."

He drifted off, settling his own plate on his bedside table, and C.C. nodded.

"Yeah, yeah...I thought so, too," she sighed, and picked up her plate, starting to prod at the sponge with her fork. She looked up at him very quickly, pleased that he wasn't disappointed, and watched him toe off his shoes. "It just...makes me wonder how we're going to tell her about us."

Niles tilted his head to one side, his eyes glazing over. That was certainly a very good question... he and C.C. had known each other for twenty years, but Amelia had barely gotten to know him a few days ago. He could understand that it would be hard for the little girl to suddenly welcome a complete foreigner into her and her mother's lives.

But there surely was a way... there had to be one! They just had to think about what they'd say.

They had the whole night to think about it – by this stage it was quite clear he'd be spending the night – so they weren't exactly in a rush.

"That's... a more than valid question," he offered lamely. "Do you have any ideas?"

C.C. laid her body against the mound of pillows behind her and heaved a troubled sigh. "I am not sure... saying you are my boyfriend sounds so... juvenile! And I doubt she'll understand what I mean if I say you are my partner."

Niles grinned at her, rolling to his side and propping the side of his head on the palm of his hand. "So I am your boyfriend?"

The producer gave a hint of a smirk, too. "We are both far too old to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, Methuselah."

"Ah, yes... although I suppose your teen years were spent trying to survive the Black Plague and the Inquisition rather than in trying to find a boyfriend," he teased back, stroking her thigh.

She smacked his hand, which only deterred him for a second, before he was back to repeating the soft and oddly pleasing motion. She relaxed into it, and continued to think.

Well, think about what to tell her daughter and have fun at Niles' expense at the same time.

"This coming from someone who looks like he didn't actually _survive_ the Black Plague," she retorted, before pulling a face at the ceiling as she wondered, lowering her plate of cake into her lap. "Hm. There must be something we can tell her to make her understand that you're not just a friend, like other people I stop and talk to."

"I'd say that you have to make more of an effort than just stopping and talking to people to actually be friends with them, but I highly doubt that will get us anywhere right now," Niles slipped his hand away from her leg and sat up, snatching up his own plate and coming to sit right next to her, their legs now touching. "But we should really eat our dessert before it turns stale. If we eat and think at the same time, when either one of us comes up with an idea we think might work, we can say it."

"Agreed," C.C. said, digging her fork into the soft sponge.

They absentmindedly began eating their cake, thinking over the possibilities. "Best friend" sent the wrong message, even if it was true in a number of ways. Amelia wouldn't even be able to say "significant other" yet, let alone know what it meant. "Special someone" was true, but it felt vague, and Amelia might not know that the 'someone' part meant a specific person...

Maybe if they combined...

C.C. lowered her fork to her plate.

"How about... _special friend_?" she suggested.

Niles arched an eyebrow. It wasn't the first time he heard the term, but he'd hear it being used to talk about a special someone in a same-sex relationship. The idea was good, though – it basically was easy for her child to understand and more or less explained their blossoming relationship. Not to mention it gave him the opportunity for a perfect zinger.

"Special Friend? Finally admitting you are a man, Babs?" he joked, stroking her thigh once again. If there was something she wasn't, it was a man.

"Not at all, Rubbermaid, but I do wear the pants in this relationship," she lowered her plate on her bedside table and threaded her fingers through his hair.

"Being in charge has always been one of things that define you," he mused aloud, his eyes closing in delight as her nails gently raked his scalp.

"And liked being bossed around is a charming trait of yours, lover," she cooed with fake sweetness.

How had either of them gone on without this for so long? Twenty years of knowing each other and six years of silence... he was surprised he hadn't gone insane!

If he was being honest, sadness rather than madness, was what he had feared the most...

"So... Special Friend it is?" she asked, edging closer to him and nestling against his side.

"I think so," he replied, slipping his empty plate onto his own table, and wrapping his arms around her. It felt so good to have her there, and to know that the feeling wasn't going to go away. "When shall we tell her?"

C.C. rested her head on his shoulder, turning more towards him so she could press herself as close to him as she could.

"Well, ideally as soon as possible," she mused aloud. "I don't want...anything to happen and for it to be too late if it turns out she'd prefer it was just the two of us."

"Of course," he rested his head on top of hers. It was only natural that she'd want Amelia to like him and not to be upset by the idea of being in their lives. He hoped, with all of his heart, that she would. But there was no guarantee.

He'd need to spend time with them together. Getting to know Amelia as well as just having time with C.C..

He looked down towards where she was still thinking everything over, and tapped her arm, "Why don't we take her on a few days out first, and then tell her? It might be a bit overwhelming otherwise – all of a sudden, this man shows up mostly in her mother's life and he's getting just as much of her attention. And it could give her and me time to get to know each other, too. What do you think?"

That sounded like a plan. It would give her girl some time to get accustomed that it wasn't just the two of them anymore, but she wasn't forgetting her either. It was a new chapter, and she was eager to start reading – or rather, writing – it.

"I think that's one of the few good ideas you've had," she said, enjoying the feeling of his body against hers.

Nothing would happen that night, they knew that, but being close was enough. She needed this – they needed this – and after years of waiting they were back in each other's arms.

"You know what's another good idea?" she muttered, feeling increasingly sleepy as he held her. "Getting into our pyjamas and following Amelia's example and go to bed."

True. He needed to sleep, and certainly he wouldn't refuse to spend the night in her bed. Tomorrow was Saturday, so he basically had the whole day free – they could do anything they wanted.

Maybe even visit the Sheffields.

"You are always full of brilliant ideas, Babcock," he replied as they sat up and both began to take off their clothes. C.C. gave him a spare set of pyjamas – they were one of her old maternity pyjamas and Niles looked rather funny in them – before putting hers on and getting back into bed.

"Night, lover," she said and pecked his lips before lying her head on his chest.

"Night, my love."

* * *

 **AN: And here you have another chapter! We hope it's to your liking :) We greatly appreciate reviews! They make our life better and let us know if you are enjoying yourselves.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **HL**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

 **Encounters and Accidents**

Niles wasn't awoken by the warm sun streaming through then window or even by to the warm presence snuggled against his side! No, the slumbering man was awoken by the sound of the door being creaked open and by the feeling of a small hand tugging at his sleeve.

" _Psst_ , are you awake?" a familiar voice whispered. "I am hungry and Mommy isn't awake yet."

Niles' eyes shot open.

There, in front of him, was Amelia. Still clad in her pyjamas and clutching a toy monkey under her arm. She blinked up at him.

"Why are you in Mommy's bed?"

"Uh..." he had to think fast as he quietly spoke back to her, pulling his arm back into the bed so that he could start to sit up. "Well, it was very late and I was too tired to go home, so your Mommy let me sleep here."

"Oh," the girl seemed to take this as a reasonable explanation, before cocking her head to one side as she looked at his attire. "Those are Mommy's old pyjamas, from when I was in her tummy."

"I know," Niles smiled at her gently, and patted his front. "I didn't have my own, and even though I don't have a baby in my tummy, I have enough tummy to fill it out all by myself!"

Amelia giggled, before starting as her own tummy rumbled. She stared down at it, and then up at him again.

"I need breakfast," she mumbled. "Can you please help Mommy wake up so that I can have some?"

The butler had an even better idea than that. They'd wanted to try and arrange some time for him to get to know Amelia – well, this was a perfect opportunity, and C.C. wouldn't mind. It wasn't like they would be leaving the house...

"Oh, I can do better than that," he rose to his feet, stretching a little. "Why don't you and I let Mommy sleep, and I'll make you breakfast instead, hm?"

She looked wary for a few seconds, and tightened her grip on her monkey. This strange man was really nice and he had read her a story...

But could she really ask him for breakfast? She had seen him around once or twice before (on occasions when her Mommy had allowed her to stay up after her bedtime), but she didn't know what to expect from him. Her Mommy usually made her scrambled eggs with toast or cereal with hot chocolate – would this man do the same for her?

"I'll make you anything you like," the butler added in a whisper, taking care not to wake C.C..

… And _that_ was enough to convince Amelia and seal the deal.

"Like waffles with chocolate milk or orange juice?" the little girl squealed enthusiastically, a wide smile making its way across her little, beautiful face. A face that reminded him of her mother's.

"Exactly. We can even make your Mommy some breakfast in bed! Would you like to help me cook?" he asked as the both of them walked out of the room and into the hallway.

"Yes!" the child squealed again. This was the most fun she'd had on a Saturday morning.

"Excellent! Go put on your robe and slippers so we can get started."

Once the girl had put on those two items and left her monkey on her bed, both she and Niles climbed down the stairs and went into the kitchen. He helped her into an apron – the one C.C. had used last night – and began preparing breakfast.

"What do we do first?" the girl asked, peering up at him. "And how should I call you? Mommy calls you Hazel... is your name Hazel? Isn't it a girl's name?"

He nearly burst out laughing at that, "Yes, yes...Hazel is a girl's name."

She stared at him curiously as he gathered ingredients from the fridge and cabinets, "Then why does Mommy call you it? You're not a girl..."

"No, I know," he replied amusedly, setting his finds down on the table next to the mixing bowls. "It's just your Mommy being silly, that's all."

Amelia peeked over at the selection, as her eyes went back to him, "Oh. Then what do I call you?"

Momentarily leaving the unmixed ingredients in the bowl, he crouched so he could look her in the eyes, "You can call me Niles."

The little girl thought, and then nodded, "That's a nice name."

He smiled back, "Well, thank you! I've always thought Amelia was a nice name, too. Would you like to help me mix all of these things together?"

She nodded in agreement, and together they prepared the waffle batter. Niles ladled it into the hot iron as Amelia watched, and then as they waited for the breakfast to cook, they got out plates and prepared the juice and the chocolate milk. He slid a waffle onto the plate in front of Amelia only moments later, a generous amount of cream (and a few strawberries from the fridge) on top.

"Here we are. A breakfast fit for a princess!" he exclaimed overdramatically, bowing to her to make her laugh again.

He then cut it for her – he didn't know if C.C. allowed her to use a knife yet – and gave her the fork so she could dig in.

"This is great!" she said after swallowing a few pieces. "You are the best cook ever!"

Niles felt a strange warmth spreading through his chest. He had just met the young girl, but there was an urge to protect her... to make her happy and kerp her safe. It was then when he knew that (hopefully) bonding with Amelia wouldn't be too hard.

"Thank you very much, Little One," he said as he took a seat in front of Amelia. He was going to let her eat before taking his and C.C.'s breakfast upstairs. "The princess of the house deserves nothing but the best!"

"And what about the queen, huh?" a third voice said from the kitchen door.

C.C. was awake and bad been stood there for some time, neither Amelia nor Niles knew exactly for how long. She had a pleased smile on her face, and in her eyes there was... endearment? Happiness? Love? He didn't quite know, but he sensed it was a good emotion.

"Mommy!" the child exclaimed as she jumped from the chair and ran to greet her mother. "We were going to take your breakfast on a tray! Niles said you deserved to have breakfast in bed!"

C.C. quirked an eyebrow and picked her daughter up, kissing her cheek soundly, "Well, if I'd known that, I'd have stayed in bed!"

She bounced Amelia up and down as she took her back to the table, plopping her down in her seat so she could finish her breakfast.

"But it looks like I'm just going to have to deserve it down here," she took a chair opposite Niles, and grinned at him. "And of course, that gives me the opportunity to say good morning to our very own personal chef!"

Niles smirked back, "Coffee and waffles?"

"Sounds perfect," she answered, pouring Amelia more orange juice as he got up to bring over their breakfasts and the freshly brewed coffee.

"The waffles are really good, Mommy," the little girl told her excitedly. "Niles is great at cooking!"

"That he is, sweetie," C.C.'s eyes travelled to the plate Niles put in front of her, and as he retook his seat and she began to cut her breakfast up, she began to think about how the day was going to go. "Do you have any homework this weekend?"

Amelia's brow furrowed as she thought. "Just a little bit. I have to finish a drawing for my art class and colour a picture for my English class," the girl said, taking another bite of her breakfast.

C.C. nodded. That was good... she didn't have much to do! That meant they could enjoy the day with Niles and then worry about Amelia's homework. And speaking of Amelia's school, now that she and Niles had reconciled, C.C. felt it was rather necessary to visit the Sheffields. Besides, their children were classmates, they'd meet sooner rather than later. Given the situation, she'd prefer their reunion to happen in a private and quiet environment rather than at a parents meeting or in a school event.

It was time...

"Very well then," C.C. said and gulped down some coffee. "You know what we are gonna do today, Amelia? We are going to visit another of Mommy's old friends!"

Both Niles and Amelia looked up at her confusedly. "What friends, Mommy?"

"Well, remember I told you that Mommy once worked as a Broadway producer?"

The girl nodded.

"Well, I worked with this friend for many, many years and I want to visit him again! He is Eve and Jonah's father and Niles lives in his house!"

Amelia's eyes widened. "Really?!"

"Indeed!" C.C. said, delighting in her enthusiasm. "Finish your breakfast so we can get you bathed and all dressed up to go!"

"Okay!" the girl began to wolf down her breakfast, but Niles tenderly reached out a hand and lay it on her arm.

"It's alright, we're not rushing off right this second," he told her. "Take it a little easier."

The girl smiled, and started to eat slower. Niles finished his own breakfast, too, and took his and C.C.'s empty plates and cups over to the dishwasher. She joined him at the sink, and they began to chat quietly.

She had her doubts about whether or not he approved, and they probably needed to talk about that.

"You think it's too soon?" she asked.

Niles emptied the dregs of the coffee into the sink before placing the cup in the dishwasher, "That's not my decision to make."

C.C. quickly eyed her daughter – she was still eating, and not paying attention – before turning back to him.

"I'd like your opinion anyway."

He straightened up, and after he'd taken his own look at Amelia, he began to speak.

"I think now is exactly the right time. You haven't seen them in so long, delaying it wouldn't do anyone any good. And seeing as you ran into me so easily at the children's school, it might be best if we get all of this sorted somewhere more private, don't you think?"

She did think. It was amazing how well their minds could come up with the same suggestions...

She nodded, and he continued, giving her an encouraging smile.

"But, like I said: it's your decision, not mine. I'll just be there to support you, whatever ends up happening."

"Thank you," C.C. said and quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek when Amelia wasn't looking. They hadn't told her about them being a couple so, for the time being, they'd have to limit their displays of affection to just hugs or things of the sort when Amelia was around.

"No problem, love. When she's done I'll clean up so you can bathe her," the butler offered, placing a clear dish on the dish drying rack.

She agreed with his suggestion so, after Amelia had finished eating, Niles took care of cleaning the kitchen while C.C. cleaned her little girl. Having Niles around was proving to be a tremendous help.

Bathing Amelia took C.C. a good hour, though. Enough time for Niles to clean, get dressed and make the beds. He wasn't present when C.C. dried and dressed her child, but he did get to see how a certain blonde dressed up while the girl was left in her room watching a cartoon.

"You look beautiful," he muttered as he came from behind and wrapped his arms around her middle. He couldn't resist the temptation of kissing her neck.

He felt almost smug when her breath hitched – he had found a sensitive patch of skin.

"You think so?" she turned in his embrace and pecked his lips. "It's just one of my suits."

"You look good in anything, Babcock," Niles said as he gave her a kiss of his own.

"Smooth talker," the words were muffled by his kiss, but neither minded.

"Only for you, woman."

They reluctantly cut the snogging session short – they'd have time for that later, they needed to get to the Sheffield mansion – and retrieved Amelia from her room. After they had all put on their coats, the three covered the distance between the two mansions.

They almost looked like any other family, walking hand by hand on a Saturday morning.

Seeing as Niles had the key, they entered through the kitchen door...

Only to come face to face with Maxwell Sheffield himself.

The poor man nearly choked on his breakfast, having looked up at just the wrong moment from eating to look towards the door.

"What the-? Niles? C.C.?!"

He dumped his cutlery and leaped from his seat, eyes darting between the two adults and the little girl in front of him. He hadn't the faintest idea who she was, even though she looked remarkably similar to his former business associate...

"You're...back..." the dark-haired British man was still confused, and he had no idea where to begin with what to do or say!

It was at that moment that Fran pushed her way through from the dining room, "Honey, I heard shouting, is everything- _oh my God_!"

Now the former nanny was staring, too. And it was starting to make C.C. feel uncomfortable. Niles noticed, and used one hand to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly.

Amelia turned to them, puzzled, "Mommy, why are they staring?"

" _Mommy_?!" both Sheffields shrieked.

The voices of their parents had also brought the twins running, and they beamed as they caught sight of Amelia.

"Mia!" Eve shouted to her.

They waved to each other, and Amelia looked to her mother again.

"Mommy, and I go and play with Eve and Jonah?"

"Huh?" C.C. was still half-frozen in place from the Sheffields' reaction, but she shook herself out of it long enough to answer. "Oh, yes, as long as their Mommy and Daddy say it's okay..."

She and Niles both felt it might be. The conversation that was about to start was going to be long, and it wasn't for the children. Fran and Max sensed this, too.

"Of course it is okay!" the former nanny exclaimed, beaming down at Amelia. "You go play with Jonah and Eve! If you need anything you just call..." she glanced at C.C., still uncertain, "… your Mommy or any of us."

That seemed to be enough explanation for Amelia. The child nodded, gave her mother a kiss and ran after Eve, who was babbling about playing with her new Barbie mansion.

As soon as the children were gone, the kitchen became uncomfortably silent. Although Niles had guided C.C. inside, the former producer didn't sit down or move. They were in a kind of limbo for almost five minutes, but eventually Fran took matters into her own hands.

"Well, come here and sit down!" the brunette said, smiling at C.C. as she beckoned towards the kitchen table where Maxwell still sat, mouth agape. "We have a lot of talkin' ta do! Don't cha think, honey?"

Maxwell started, almost as though his wife had brought him out of a trance. "Oh... sure! Yes... yes… please, sit down!" he indicated towards the seat by his side. "It's been so long and we have a lot to discuss!"

C.C. finally moved forward, feeling a little bit more at ease.

"Indeed!" Fran piped up, bringing a tray filled with treats to the table. "I wanna know everything about yer wedding and about yer daughter's daddy! I wish you had invited us-"

"Mrs Sheffield…" Niles tried to shut her up, but the damage was done.

Fran froze, mid-sentence, a look of confusion on her face. That was, until Niles slyly indicated down towards C.C.'s hand – very much without a ring on it. Her look of confusion became one of shocked understanding, and then immediately horror.

She held out her hands as if to try and placate the blonde, "Miss Babcock, I swear, I didn't mean ta-"

Maxwell put a hand on his wife's shoulder, "Fran, I think it's best if we just-"

C.C. held up a hand for silence and she got it, "No, no, Maxwell. It's perfectly understandable to assume."

Her understanding didn't make her voice sound any less upset, though. She was well aware that in the society and social class they were living in, it would be more of the done thing to have been married before having a child.

"Perhaps we should all sit down and talk this over," Maxwell pulled out a chair for his wife, as well as taking one himself. "We can start from the beginning, and C.C. can tell us all that she needs to."

Niles pulled out a chair for C.C., and she almost fell into it. She wasn't relaxed about this, even as Niles took a chair and pulled it up next to hers so that he could discreetly hold her hand under the table for comfort. But she was going to have to tell them everything. They were her friends, and some of the most important people in her life. She might have been afraid at the possibility of their rejection, but she'd never know until she talked to them and found out. And besides, they'd let her into their homes and into their lives when most other people would say she didn't deserve it – why would they turn her away now?

The fear was there, but it was overpowered by the desire to reconnect with the people she had considered her closest friends.

There was a teapot filled with tea from Maxwell's breakfast, so the British producer poured some of it into a clean cup, added a splash of milk and a spoonful of sugar before handing it to C.C.. The blonde gave a sharp nod to thank him.

Fran, who was still looking mortified, offered her a piece of Niles' cheesecake, which C.C. promptly took.

"Thank you," C.C. sighed as she was handed a fork.

"It's no problem, C.C.!" Maxwell said. "So... how have you been?"

C.C. pursed her lips. She knew what Maxwell was trying to do – engage in small talk as they batted around the bush. But she wasn't interested in doing that; she'd rather be straightforward and discuss what she needed to discuss.

"I have been okay, thank you for asking," C.C. spoke, taking a bite of her cake. "I am sure you two have many questions and I'd rather go to the crux of the matter. I assume you want to know about my daughter, Amelia, correct?"

Maxwell and Fran exchanged a look, a bit surprised by the blonde's resolute and straightforward attitude. She clearly wanted to clear things up quickly.

The Sheffields nodded.

"Very well," C.C. lay back against her chair and took a deep breath. "When I first quit, I travelled to Argentina and became friends with a man called Patrick. He was staying in the same hotel as I and we toured the city together. We ended up going to a party together – a celebration of Argentina's Independence Day – and we had one to many and… well... a month later I discovered I was pregnant."

Fran looked like she wanted to ask something, but Maxwell stopped her. It seemed he could tell that it was best to let her keep going. Interrupting her flow could upset her, or potentially make her lose track of what she had to say.

And she wanted them to understand everything completely, so she was grateful for the opportunity.

"I had no way of contacting Patrick after I found out – we were only friends, and hadn't talked much about where we lived," she continued. "But I decided to keep Amelia. To raise her by myself, with some help from my father and my brother. And I don't regret it. She is the most precious thing in my life, and with a new job at my father's company, a mansion of my own not too far from here, and now...maybe with all of you back in my life...I feel like perhaps I've started over."

"Started over from what, C.C.?" Maxwell asked, leaning forward in his intrigue.

Well, here came another difficult aspect. C.C. took in a breath to calm herself before explaining.

"I left because I was in a bad place, Maxwell, you know that. After coming back from my stay at the...mental hospital, and no longer thinking I was losing everything I had, I realised that this place wasn't going to help my recovery. I had to get out, relax, and take some me time to clear my head and to think about what I wanted to do with my life. But I think I've done that now. I certainly am much happier than I was back then, and Amelia has a lot to do with that."

Maxwell could only think that he understood. He remembered C.C. had been in a really dark place around the time he and Fran had gotten engaged, and he was glad that – despite the hardships – she had found a balance in her life. He was a little shocked about Amelia, that was certain, but if the girl made his friend happy, then nothing else mattered.

What he couldn't understand, however, was why she hadn't contacted them when she had returned to the States. Why hadn't she said anything? Why had she chosen to hide from them and raise her child by herself? They would have helped her! Offered their support! So, in a way, it hurt him that C.C. hadn't trusted them enough to approach them after her time in Argentina.

"That's... understandable," the British producer eventually said. "However – and pardon me if I appear insensitive – why... why didn't you talk to us when you came back? Why did you shut us out from your life all these years?"

Although the question had certainly caught her unaware, it was the hurt in his voice what disconcerted her the most. Never in twenty years of knowing Maxwell Sheffield had he showed such concern for her or such hurt at her actions... his words were few and simple, but were full of meaning and unspoken feelings. She had supposed (and been partially right) that the Sheffields would be upset by her not telling them about Amelia, but she had never thought they'd be hurt. But it seemed she had underestimated her former associate.

"Maxwell, I was afraid," she started, stirring her tea. "When I found out about Amelia I was still healing and trying to change my toxic habits and-"

"I know that, C.C.. I knew it would take time for you to get over your stay at the sanatorium, but why did you hide from us when you came back? Why did you stay hidden for all these years? We could have helped you... you know we'd have been there for you!"

C.C. heaved a sigh, "That's what you don't seem to understand, Maxwell! I didn't know that! Part of me knew I could trust you, but the possibility of you not accepting my situation as a single parent was a fear that I wasn't able to tackle! I was – still am – worried. Worried about how my daughter is going to be treated by her peers, and part of me feels it is my fault..." she trailed off, and Niles squeezed her hand. She was doing well, but it was a hard conversation. "And I guess that, as years went by and I began to rebuild my life I kept putting this reunion off. Seeing as so much time had passed there was a part of me that was certain that you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me."

The kitchen went almost unbearably quiet. C.C. continued to stare at her tea, not making a move to try and drink any of it. Niles looked at her, his own beverage also untouched.

The Sheffields exchanged their own sorrowful glance. She'd been too afraid of what they'd think of her to come for help...she was their friend, they wouldn't have refused her!

And they weren't going to refuse her now she had chosen to come back, either. They were going to make sure, between them, that she had a support system, and that she always had people to turn to if she needed them.

Niles had been seemingly acting that way at least since he'd stepped into the kitchen with her. He hadn't been surprised about anything, like they had.

That day the twins came home late... and all the Friday evenings that Niles had sneaked out to have dinner with his "old friend"! C.C. must have been the friend. He must have met with her all those weeks ago, they'd talked and had been frequenting each other ever since. It was good that one member of the household had been able to support her, but now it was time for all of them to follow suit.

Fran reached over, and clutched at C.C.'s hand comfortingly, "Well, you can rest assured, Miss Babcock. We want you back here, with us, where ya belong. And we'd be delighted ta have yer little girl, too. You're family, and so is she."

The producer looked up at the former nanny, a spark of hope flashing in her eyes. She couldn't believe she had once hated this woman... and despite their story of animosity she was welcoming her and her daughter back into their lives.

In a sense it was a lot more than she thought she'd be given, and C.C. was thankful.

"Really? You... you think that I am family?"

"But of course you are!" Maxwell piped up, smiling. "And so is Amelia. We are delighted that she and the twins have become friends."

"And so am I," C.C. agreed, smiling truthfully.

Their children befriending one another had happened more than accident than by design, but it was a nice turn of events. Deciding that their children deserved to have some fun while their parents reconnected, the Sheffield, Niles and C.C. spent the day at the mansion, catching up on one another's lives.

And so, hours went past and morning turned into afternoon and then dusk. The light had almost completely drained from the previously light-blue sky when C.C. and Niles agreed that it was time to go home – Amelia had to be fed, bathed and put to bed, so there was no time to lose.

As if on cue, three sets of footsteps ran into the kitchen through the swinging door. They were all dressed up in costumes and had the happiest grins their parents had ever seen on them.

"Mommy, Daddy," Eve said and ran to her parents. "Can Mia spend the nigh here?"

"Yeah, can she stay?" Jonah supported his twin sister.

Fran looked between her husband, Amelia and C.C.. "Well, does Mia want to stay?"

"Yes!" the blonde girl practically screamed before running to her mother. "Please, Mommy, can I stay over?"

The three parents looked at each other and their faces broke into three beaming smiles.

"As long as Maxwell and Na-" C.C. stopped herself in time and gave Fran an apologetic look. "... and Fran agree, then I don't see why not!"

"We'd be pleased to have her with us," Maxwell said, standing from her chair to properly address Amelia. It was remarkable just how much she looked like C.C. "You and your mother are always welcome here."

Amelia giggled and wrapped her arms around Maxwell's legs. "Thank you!" she then turned to her friends. "I can stay!"

The twins cheered and C.C. bit back a chuckle.

"And seeing as you'll be staying over, I'll go get your bag from home," C.C. said and walked to the back door. "I'll be right back."

The former producer quickly left, but it didn't take long for Niles to realise that she had forgotten her keys on the kitchen table. He grabbed them and took after her. He spotted her just a few meters ahead of him, crossing a street, but just when he was about to reach her, he heard the blearing sound of a car horn honking and only moments later, a car coming the wrong way down the street hit C.C., sending her flying across the street.

* * *

 **AN: A bit more dramatic than the first one, we must say. But don't worry, things are not as bad as they look! We'll be uploading a second chapter tonight, too!**

 **As usual, we appreciate reviews and thank you for reading.**

 **HL**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 4_**

 ** _You'll Be In My Heart_**

There were a few seconds during which time seemed to stand still. For a few seconds Niles couldn't even scream or cry out – he could only helplessly watch his girlfriend being hit by a car. The latter didn't screech to a halt, as the butler would have expected. The only screech eventually came from him, and he didn't seem to be able to get there fast enough as C.C. was thrown backwards by the impact, thudding painfully against the kerb.

The car sped off without delay, the driver checking over his shoulder to make sure he was getting away with it cleanly.

Niles didn't care at that moment. He rushed to the woman lying in the street, horrible images of the night they'd been told Sarah wasn't going to make it flashing in his mind in a prophetic way that he was dreading.

She couldn't be about to leave him, not like this, not when they'd just found each other!

But she was awake when he got to her, trying to cry out but the pain was preventing her – it was too overwhelming, and she tried to grab at her side, but her arms flailed until he caught one of her hands in his own.

"C.C.!" he exclaimed, holding her hand like it was a lifeline and examining her all over – no blood, but that didn't mean there weren't internal injuries. "Oh dear God, we have to get you to a hospital right now!"

"It hurts..." she managed to whimper, her breath catching as she tried to sob. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes...it all hurt so badly...she could only feel pain down her left-hand side, and she tried to stand, but one leg was unresponsive and the other unable to get her out of this position by itself. "Niles...help me, it hurts so much..."

He had realised she couldn't stand. He dreaded to think that the impact had left her completely paralysed from the waist down, but right then the important thing was to get her to a hospital. The sooner she was treated, the sooner she'd begin to get better.

"Grab my phone," she choked out, the pain making it difficult for her to speak. "It's in my purse."

He saw her purse lying a few feet away from them. He didn't want to leave her alone, but he knew he needed the phone to call for the paramedics.

"Alright. I'll take you to the sidewalk and then I'll look for the phone," he said as he prepared to scoop C.C. up in his arms. Lucky for them, a few commuters had seen what had happened, and a young woman was kind enough to hand C.C.'s fallen purse to Niles. He quickly thanked her and dialled the emergency services.

The ambulance was there in less than five minutes, and the paramedics quickly immobilised her neck with a C-collar before they placed her on a backboard. Niles could only watch helplessly as she was carefully lowered onto a stretcher.

"Niles?!" C.C. called out, scared because she wasn't seeing him from her position.

"I am here, love, I am here!" the butler said, running to her side and grabbing her hand.

"Please... come with me... don't let me go alone," she whimpered.

The butler looked up at the paramedic, feeling both helpless and desperate. He wanted to go in the ambulance with her, but it was all up to what the doctors said.

"Can... can I ride on the ambulance with her?" Niles pleaded to the young paramedic stood right in front of him and holding the stretcher.

"Of course! But we need to hurry up! She could have internal bleeding!"

He wasted no time. He climbed into the ambulance with her, not letting go of her hand for a single moment, and the paramedics shut the back doors to the vehicle before it began to speed away.

All throughout that journey, he kept hold of her hand, talking to her and making sure she talked back. The medical professionals administered something to give her a little bit of relief, which made C.C. slightly dizzy, but she was sure it was better than the pain she'd experienced from that car...

Niles was thinking about the moment it had happened, too. More like replaying it over and over in his head. He was just grateful that she hadn't been...right there, on the road.

The police would have to be told. They'd have to find whomever did it, obviously, and put him in prison. But that could wait until she was with her doctors – he'd have to call the Sheffields too, and let them know, and they'd tell Amelia...

 _Oh God._

What about Amelia? What were they going to tell her?

And it wasn't like he could ask C.C. what she wanted to do! Thinking about her daughter right then would only stress her and put her in more pain than she was already in.

No... he had to take care of everything until C.C. was better.

Once in the hospital he would call the Sheffields, ask them to entertain the young girl and tell them how C.C. was doing. He hoped it was nothing to bad, but it was clear she'd need help for quite some time. She probably wouldn't be able to drive Amelia anywhere or even take care of the house.

Lucky for her, he was more than willing to help.

The road to the hospital was relatively short, but once there, the stretcher was taken out of the ambulance and C.C. was quickly moved to a gurney, which was surrounded by the medical personnel that was awaiting for them.

It was then when they were forced to separate, so he called the Sheffields to give them the dreadful while C.C. got some x-rays and while the medics checked her out. He plopped himself down on one of the many chairs in the waiting area and retrieved C.C.'s phone from his pocket. He dialled the number he knew by heart and soon Maxwell's voice came from the other end of the line.

"Old Man? Where are you?! You and C.C. left almost forty minutes ago!" the British producer exclaimed.

"Sir, C.C. was hit by a car," he practically choked out – he couldn't believe those words were leaving his mouth. "She... she is alive and is being checked by the doctors."

"Oh my God!" he could hear the immediate worry and concern in Maxwell's tone, and in the back there was high-pitched commotion. Fran must have been inquiring what was going on. "Is she alright?!"

The question was natural, but it cut Niles deep because he wasn't sure of the answer, "Like I said, she's alive, but I don't know..."

A nasal voice interrupted with questions, "Has she been in with them long? Did you get the license plate? Have you called the police?!"

"Fran! Give the man a little bit of room, darling," Maxwell had obviously managed to wrestle the phone back from his wife. "We're coming down to the hospital right now, Old Man-"

"No, don't do that!" Niles cried out, making sure that the producer had stopped speaking before explaining. "I don't think it's a good idea if Amelia sees her mother like this. And she's going to need looking after, until we find out what's going on."

There was a pause, and a sigh, from down the other end.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I almost completely forgot about Amelia," he could almost picture Maxwell wiping his face with one hand wearily. "We'll try to explain to her as best we can – we'll leave out the details. Who is going to look after her?"

The answer Niles was about to give was interrupted by a doctor calling for him, and he had to excuse himself from the conversation to talk to the medical professional.

"How is she, Doctor?" he was desperate to know. "What's the news?"

The doctor made a quelling gesture with his hand and gave the butler a soft, encouraging smile. "She is alright. As the car wasn't going too fast, her injuries weren't as severe as we first thought."

Niles felt relief washing over him like a waterfall. A huge weight had just been removed from his shoulders and he felt like he could breathe again – she was fine... she was alive.

"However," the doctor continued, causing Niles to tense again. He felt as though his heart had leapt to his mouth. "Her left leg is broken in two parts and so are three of her ribs. She is also quite bruised and sore; she'll probably be sore for a few weeks, but overall she is fine. There was no internal bleeding or damage to her organs."

"So... what's going to happen to her now?" the butler asked, relaxing again. It was just a few fractures and bruises; she'd be fine.

"We put her leg in a cast and she'll need strict bed rest for two weeks. Afterwards, she can opt to use crouches or a wheelchair to move around, but she will need help," the doctor said, finishing his explanation.

She was lucky. She was truly lucky! He knew that it could have been a lot worse, so coming out the other side with just a broken leg and a few broken ribs it was not that bad. Of course he would be the one to help her around her house, but for now he just wanted to see her.

"Can I see her, doctor..."

"Smith. Dr Smith," the man said and began walking, beckoning for Niles to follow. "And of course! She is awake, if slightly dizzy due to the pain medication. But she is fine."

He opened the door to C.C.'s room as he said so and allowed the butler in. She looked up blearily as the door opened, and made to reach out for him, but the pain made her recoil, and she grasped at her bandaged side.

"Niles..." she groaned, still eager to have him near her again.

"I'm right here, love," he practically flew across the room to her bed, pulling a nearby chair underneath him and taking her hand in his again. He entwined their fingers, for comfort and to silently let her know that he wasn't going anywhere, either. "How are you feeling?"

"Just peachy," she groaned, laying her head back against her pillow, but angled so she could still talk to him. "I can't believe this happened..."

He wanted to tell her that it could have been a lot worse, but somehow he felt that that wouldn't get them anywhere. They both knew what could have happened, and they didn't want to think about it.

He patted her hand with his free one, "I know, love, I know. But the doctors told you everything, right?"

C.C. huffed, looking annoyed, "Yep. Strict bed rest for two weeks, and crutches or more likely a wheelchair to get around. How am I going to work, or get Amelia to school, or even actually do anything with Amelia, when I'm practically bound to my bed?"

He did love how much she was still concerned about working, and making sure Amelia's life wasn't affected. Her stubbornness wasn't in any way diminished by what had just happened. Her pride, yes, but not much else apart from the broken bones, and that would be mended in time.

The thought of not being able to do things for herself and her daughter, however...that would probably take a while longer. At any rate, now seemed as good a time as any to ask if he could be the one to help with Amelia.

"Actually," he began sheepishly. "I... I was wondering if you'd like my help in that regard."

C.C. cocked her head to one side. "In what regard? You mean with Amelia?"

Niles nodded, brushing his thumb against the back of her hand. "Yes. I could drive her to school, pick her up – I sometimes do that for the twins, too – and I could help you at home. You know, with the cooking, the cleaning... anything you need."

There were a few moments of silence that were spent just looking at one another. Niles was fearing that she wouldn't like the idea of him helping out – mainly because helping out meant that he'd have to move in with her or, at least, spend almost all his day in her house. But suddenly, her face broke into a smile and she cupped his cheek in her hand.

"You are such a fretting maid," she chuckled and pulled him down for a kiss. He was gentle with her, not wanting to put her in pain. "But yes, I'd love you to help me with Amelia."

He smiled against her lips, and kissed her several times more.

"Mm, this is better than the drugs they gave me," C.C. joked, earning a chuckle from the butler's own throat as its reward.

"Well, consider it my very own personal prescription," he murmured in reply. "Take as many as you like per day, but never forget to take them."

"I like the sound of that," she gave him one last, lingering kiss, before pulling away to recover air. "And I like the sound of your idea. But I suppose we'll also have to explain a little more to the Sheffields about what's going on between us so that they'll be more understanding of why you're doing this."

That was a point. They'd never actually gotten around to explaining to Maxwell and Fran that they were a couple...

It was going to be just as difficult, but for different reasons, to explain this in a way they could comprehend.

But it had to be done.

Niles kissed her once more on the forehead, and dropped back into his seat, "Agreed. And then I can either make arrangements to come over every day, or-"

"Why don't you just move in, temporarily?" C.C. interrupted his speech with the next idea that was going to leave his lips. "If Amelia needs someone during the night, I won't be able to get up to go to her."

"I was just about to suggest the fact that I could come and stay with you for a while," he gave her a wry smile. "But you beat me to it. I suppose it's better, coming from you, anyway. It's less of an imposition on my part."

C.C. rolled her eyes and entwined their fingers together. She adored his selflessness, but sometimes it was plain ridiculous. "Niles, you are offering to take care of me, you aren't imposing anything."

He shrugged. "I know... but I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Well, I am uncomfortable right now, but that is due to a few fractures rather than due to your British politeness," she tried to get more comfortable in bed to no avail.

"Want some help?" Niles said, getting to his feet. "I know it would take more than just a car to take down a succubus like you, but even demons need help sometimes."

He placed his arms under her armpits and allowed C.C. to wrap her own arms around his neck while he helped her settle in bed.

"You know, that's not a good thing to say when you'll be waiting on me hand and foot," she warned, although he could tell she was joking.

"Sorry, Babcock," he kissed her. "Old habits die hard."

"And speaking of old, _Old Man_ ," C.C. said, faking a British accent. "Could you call Maxwell so we can tell him about this? And I'd like him to bring Amelia over so she can see that I'm fine."

Niles nodded and retrieved her phone from his pocket. Once again, he dialled the mansion's number and passed the phone over to C.C..

Eventually, Maxwell responded.

"Hello? Niles?"

"No, Maxwell, it's C.C.," the blonde said.

"C.C.!" the blonde woman couldn't help but smile at how happy he sounded down the other end of the phone. "How are you feeling? Is everything alright?"

"Everything's just fine, Maxwell," she replied, catching Niles' eye as he watched her have the conversation. "I've got a few broken bones, but everything else is okay."

"Oh, well, as long as that's the extent of the injuries...!"

"It is," she told him. "But that's not all I was calling about. I was wondering if it would be possible for you and Fran to bring Amelia here. I want her to see that I'm okay."

"Absolutely, C.C.," Maxwell seemed to hold the phone away from his ear for a moment, most likely to call for his wife, but then he was back again. "We'll be with you very shortly."

"Alright," in spite of her injuries and the discomfort, C.C. started to smile. "See you soon, Maxwell."

Saying goodbye, she hung up the phone, and passed it back to Niles, who put it away in her purse. He then placed the little bag on top of the bedside table, figuring that they weren't going anywhere for a while so it would be best out of the way.

Afterwards, he immediately reached out for her hand again, and began to smirk, "Always going and getting yourself injured like this. What are we going to do with you?"

"And you always taking care of me," she retorted, squeezing his hand. She remembered that, on the other occasions when she had been hurt, he had been the one to look after her until she was healthy again. It was nice that they didn't have to hide their feelings behind insults and zingers anymore. "It seems we both can't get rid of our old habits."

Niles chuckled. Only now that they were joking he could relax. The hit and run hadn't been nearly as bad as it could have been, but it had been a stressful evening.

They were in for a relatively stressful night, too. The doctors wanted to keep C.C. overnight and Niles wasn't allowed to stay, but if she was fine by tomorrow morning, then she'd be allowed to go home with him. There was also the tiny (but ever so important) detail that they'd also have to tell Maxwell and Fran about their relationship, but they'd cross that bridge when they came to it. For now, they could enjoy from being together and from the fact that C.C. was alright.

"And I am glad it's that way, because I love taking care of you," he moved from his chair to perch on the side of her bed and leaned down to give her another kiss. "In more ways than one."

C.C. chuckled, although it sounded slightly resigned. "Well... we'll have to wait some time before anything of the sort happens, but we'll get there eventually."

Intimacy was uncharted territory, but they knew it would eventually happen. Granted, this would delay things, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It would give them opportunity to develop their relationship further before being intimate.

"I know we will," he gave her another kiss. "But there is no rush."

"Thanks," she threaded her fingers through his hair. "Come here and lie down next to me."

Niles wasn't about to argue, so he lay down by her side, taking care not to hurt her when he wrapped her shoulders in a one-armed hug. They stayed like this until for a while; actually, they'd nearly dozed off when the door was swung opened and a loud (and slightly anguished) "Mommy!" was heard in the room.

Niles immediately sat up and away from C.C., allowing Amelia to run to her mother's side. The Sheffields wandered in quietly behind her, not wanting to intrude so much on the moment between them.

"Hey, sweetie," C.C. reached out and began stroking her daughter's hair. "I'm sorry Mommy scared you like that..."

"It's okay," she said quietly, and with a little help from the butler, the girl clambered up onto the bed, and held the side of her mother not covered by bandages.

Niles left them be for a few minutes, and went to inform the Sheffields of what was going on.

"She has a few broken bones, but everything else is fine," he muttered to them.

"Oh, thank God!" Fran lay a hand over her heart, turning her eyes up towards the ceiling in her relief.

"How long do the doctors think she will be like this?" Maxwell craned his neck momentarily to look at his former business associate.

"About two weeks of strict bedrest, and then after that either crutches or a wheelchair until the cast comes off," he replied. It was going to be difficult, but he was sure they could manage.

All he needed was the Sheffields' approval – their permission, rather – to go and stay with C.C. so that he could help. And that would be something, probably, obtained easier when they had explained to the married pair what exactly was going on with them.

"That sounds fair enough," Maxwell said, heaving a sigh. This was not easy for the producer; last time he had been in a situation like this his own wife had died. He wouldn't have been able to bear it if something grave had happened to C.C.. "Although, come to think of it, she will be needing help!"

Well... that was convenient.

"Speaking of that, sir," Niles put a hand on Maxwell's shoulder and guided him away from the bed. "I needed to discuss something in regards to my... uh... living arrangements for the foreseeable future."

Maxwell arched a confused eyebrow. "What do you mean, Old Man? And what does this have to do with C.C.?"

Niles sighed. "Sir, Miss Babcock and I... well... aren't friends."

Maxwell rolled his eyes, looking irritated. "Niles, I don't believe this is the moment to analyse your... complicated relationship with Miss Babcock! I-"

"That's the key word, sir – _relationship_ ," he said, giving him a half-smile.

It didn't dawn on Maxwell immediately, but eventually understanding struck the British producer and his eyes widened. "You... you mean that... that C.C. and you are in a relationship?! As in a _romantic_ relationship?!"

Niles nodded. "Yes, sir. It's still very new and we are waiting a bit to tell C.C.'s daughter, but we are dating. Seeing as she is in no shape to care for herself and Amelia, I was wondering if you'd allow me to temporarily move in with them to take care of Miss Babcock and Amelia."

"I see..." Maxwell's eyes drifted to the floor as he considered this new piece of information.

"I think we should let 'im," a new voice piped up, causing both men to start and spin around to find the source.

Fran was stood behind them, beaming.

"When did you arrive in this conversation?!" Maxwell almost hissed, conscious of the fact that C.C. was still busy with Amelia and might not appreciate them talking about this in front of her.

Fran shrugged, "I heard "romantic relationship" and I just kinda had to..."

She swept her hand through the air, before smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry, honey."

"It's alright, darling," Maxwell put an arm around her shoulders. "I suppose it's best that we both know now, rather than at a later date, anyway."

"That was my thinking exactly, sir," Niles replied quietly. "So, if I might ask again, is it possible for me to forgo my duties at the mansion, to help C.C. recover, and to look after Amelia?"

Maxwell hesitated. Not to get him wrong, he was happy for both of his friends (it was about _damn time_ they got together) but he was worried about not having Niles around. Although they had hired a maid shortly after the twins were born so Niles had less things to do around the house and could help them with the babies instead, he was worried about how they'd manage without him.

The producer frowned as those thoughts crossed his mind. He was being selfish! He had his wife, his other children, his in-laws and even a maid to help him! C.C. had no one but Niles, and in this time of need C.C. couldn't go without the butler. Now not only enemy turned friend but also her significant other. Maxwell sighed. There was a part of him that had known that, even if he hadn't wanted to let him go, his wife would have forced him to not interrupt the development of Niles and C.C.'s relationship.

"Of course you can, Old Man," he said, but before Niles could speak he rose a silencing hand. "But could you still take care of the twins when both Fran and I are out?"

Niles nodded. "Of course, sir! Instead of taking them to the mansion I'll take them to C.C.'s mansion until you can pick them up!"

That settled it then. Now they only had to tell Amelia about the new living arrangements, although she wouldn't be told about their relationship just yet.

The girl was cuddled up against C.C.'s good side, and she had hidden her little face in the crook of her mother's neck. She was still scared, but being held by her mother was quelling her fears.

As the three other adults approached C.C.'s bed, they could only hope that she'd accept the new arrangement. Niles was more than hopeful, really – he really did like the little girl, and he wanted to be able to get along with her for as long as it took C.C. to get better. He'd be crushed if it turned out it was all too much for her. Not only would it mean not being able to spend time getting to know Amelia, but it would also set back his relationship with C.C., as well as make it difficult for her to recover and look after her daughter.

He didn't exactly know how to bring the subject up, either. Letting C.C. take the lead in speaking with her daughter when and where possible had been his method up until now.

Maybe if he addressed her first about it, she could then tell Amelia...

"We've just been talking over that idea I had," he said to C.C.. "About living arrangements, until you recover."

"Oh, right" wincing a little, C.C. tried to shift herself as upright as possible, but finding it couldn't be managed, Niles pressed the button next to her bed to raise it a little bit. Not enough to disturb her ribcage, but enough to allow her to look like she was actively engaging in the conversation.

She looked at Amelia took in a deep breath (or tried to – it was hard with a cast across most of her), and began to speak.

"Mia, honey...seeing as Mommy won't be able to do much apart from lay in bed for a while," she took her daughter's hand and squeezed it. "How would you like it if Niles came and stayed with us? He'd help Mommy get better, and cook dinner, and take you to school and anywhere else you wanted to go."

Amelia looked between her mother and the butler, a thoughtful look on her face. She didn't seem bothered by what had just been told to her. If anything she simply looked like she was a bit surprised, but not at all displeased.

The girl liked her mother's friend. He was good, he read her stories, made her and her Mommy laugh and cooked any breakfast she liked! Sometimes she feared that her Mommy would choose him over her, but her Mommy had always put her first. She'd always asked what she wanted, and right then Amelia knew her Mommy needed some help from Niles.

"It's okay," Amelia said, squeezing her mother's hand back. "I like him and I know you are gonna need help. So he can stay."

Both Niles and C.C. heaved a sigh of relief. Amelia was okay with the whole idea! She felt comfortable enough to allow Niles into her and her mother's life. Everything was going according to plan.

"Very well," C.C. kissed the top of Amelia's head. She wouldn't be allowed to stay in the hospital (neither would Niles) and it tore at her heart. But it was just on night! One night and she'd be going home to Niles and Amelia. "Thank you, sweetie."

"You're welcome Mommy," the girl briefly sat up and moved to Niles and gave him a hug. "And thank you for taking care of my Mommy."

Niles and C.C. shared a smile as the child hugged him. Everything was truly going smoothly.

* * *

Unluckily, things didn't exactly go smoothly later that night.

After it was decided that Amelia would be staying at the Sheffield's for the night, the girl got to say goodnight to her mother, received her goodnight kiss from her and left back for the Sheffield mansion with Niles, Maxwell and Fran. They made a quick stop at C.C.'s mansion and got the little girl's pyjamas, her toothbrush and a set of clean clothes for tomorrow. Afterwards, they returned to the Sheffield home and Fran took care of bathing Amelia and the twins while Niles prepared their dinner.

And so, after the three little ones had been properly fed and changed into their pyjamas, they were taken to bed. Seeing as Amelia had had a particularly rough day, Fran took care to tuck her in and read her a story before retiring to her own bedroom.

Meanwhile, Niles had used the time to prepare his luggage – he would be needing to take quite a number of things to C.C.'s house. He then changed into his own pyjamas and promptly slipped under the warm covers of his bed (not before checking on Amelia one last time, of course). Despite the stressful day (or, perhaps, because of it) sleep didn't take long to claim Niles, and the butler was soon immersed in a dreamless sleep.

Around three in the morning, however, the butler was suddenly awoken by a small, warm presence climbing onto his bed and snuggling against his side.

He opened his eyes to find a teary-eyed Amelia lying next to him. He frowned.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked, his voice hoarse and thick with sleep.

"I... I miss my Mommy and I had a nightmare," the child whimpered, hugging her toy monkey.

"Oh, sweetheart, that's alright," he hesitated for a moment, before realising his worry over what he was about to do wasn't as important as providing comfort, and wrapping his arms around her to envelop her in a hug. "You'll see her again in the morning. We'll go and get her from the hospital together."

Amelia relaxed her grip on the monkey, holding it under one arm as she began to hug him back, "I...I dreamed we weren't gonna get her...I dreamed she wasn't coming back...!"

In her words, he heard her fear. The dread that something could happen to C.C. felt like several thousand buckets of ice water being dumped over him, all at once, but to Amelia...it would be like the entire universe was being ripped away. She depended on her mother, and this was more difficult for her than words could really express. He held her to him as she cried fresh tears, leaning his cheek against the top of her head. She wouldn't know what to do if C.C. wasn't coming back, but in that moment, he realised he would. He'd be doing just as he was right then – looking after her. As long as it was allowed.

He'd take care of C.C.'s daughter – love her and protect her until his dying day. And something in him told him that that wasn't purely him vowing to do that in the unlikely event C.C. didn't come back.

No. He wanted to be a family – him, C.C., and Amelia.

But that was still a long way off. And if he wanted to prove himself worthy of being part of their family, he had to take responsibility.

"She is coming back, I promise she is," he murmured, rubbing the little girl's back. "We'll see her very soon...! It was just a bad dream, sweetheart..."

"You pinky-promise me?" the girl asked, holding out her arm and offering him her extended pinky finger.

He curled his own pinky finger around Amelia's. "I pinky-promise you. Now, what do you say if we take you back to bed?"

The girl tensed. She didn't look like she wanted to move, and soon his suspicions were proven correct when Amelia shook her head. "I wanna stay here, with you."

Niles pursed his lips. C.C. had told him about Amelia spending the night with her when she was particularly scared, but there was a part of him that couldn't help but feel C.C. might not like Amelia to stay with him, even if she was absolutely terrified. However, he clearly remembered C.C. saying that she trusted him, and that she trusted Amelia to be taken care by him. The girl was the most precious thing in C.C.'s life, and if she trusted him with Amelia, then he supposed he could make an exception.

"Alright, Little One," he said, lying back down against the pillows and allowing the child to settle on the space next to him. He tucked her in and she finally began to smile. "Feeling better?"

"Much better," Amelia said, hugging her monkey. "But... can you tell me a story? So I can go back to bed?"

Niles frowned again. He didn't really know any fairy tales off by heart – at least, not long ones that would be able to help her sleep. He doubted short versions would do the trick, either.

But another idea came into his mind. He could always remember songs.

"I'm afraid I don't have any storybooks, Little One," he sat up a little, looking down at her. "But I can sing, if you want me to?"

"You sing?" the little girl asked, and she smiled sleepily when he nodded. "Okay, then."

He smiled gently back at her, cleared his throat, and straightened out the covers as he began.

" _Come stop your crying, it will be alright;_

 _Just take my hand, hold it tight._

 _I will protect you from all around you,_

 _I will be here, don't you cry..._

 _For one so small, you seem so strong;_

 _My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm._

 _This bond between us can't be broken;_

 _I will be here, don't you cry..._

 _'Cause you'll be in my heart,_

 _Yes, you'll be in my heart._

 _From this day on, now and forever more._

 _You'll be in my heart,_

 _No matter what they say,_

 _You'll be here in my heart...always."_

Amelia's eyes drooped as the song came to an end, and she began to breathe deeply and calmly, safely back off dreaming again.

He smiled to himself as the girl finally fell asleep. Seeing her so relaxed and at ease with him was making him feel things he had never felt before – an almost overwhelming and primal desire to protect and nurture Amelia, a strong feeling of endearment that was starting to border with love and a desire to see and make her happy. The little creature in front of him was absolutely precious, and he'd be damned if he allowed her to suffer.

He stroked her long hair softly. "Goodnight, Little One."

She didn't reply, but the smile she gave in her sleep when he touched her hair was more than enough. The thought of her tranquil smile actually lulled him to sleep when he finally settled back on his side of the bed and wrapped the covers around him.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 5_**

 ** _Coming Home_**

Niles wouldn't say he was awake, but he was semi-conscious. Loose ideas were beginning to form and connect with each other – he was cold so he needed a blanket, and those sorts of thing – giving some sense to the confusing jumble of thoughts that reigned inside his mind. It was a subtle awareness the one he was experiencing right then, but he could clearly register the small form curled up against his back. It is awake – more specifically, _she_ was awake and Niles forced himself to flicker his eyes open and he glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It read 7:30, Amelia's usual waking-up time.

The child stretched and he felt her sit up next to him. After a few moments which, Niles supposed, the girl spent looking around the unfamiliar room, Amelia tapped his back.

"Niles?" she said in a hushed voice. "Niles, are you awake?"

The butler smiled. There was something in Amelia's voice that reminded him of C.C., and to be taking care of basically the most important thing in C.C.'s life was the greatest honour he could have ever received. He rolled over to face the child and found her sat with her legs crossed and hugging her toy monkey.

"Hello there," he rasped, smiling up at her. He noticed she was in a really good mood as he, too, sat up. "How did you sleep? Any more nightmares?"

The girl shook her head no and then, much to his surprise, the young girl leaned forward and hugged him.

"Nope. And it was thanks to you! You are the best!" the little girl exclaimed. "I love you, Niles!"

Well, that had kind of come from nowhere...

He knew that children often said things they didn't exactly mean, or maybe even understand, but hearing something like _this_ from Amelia...it left him feeling overjoyed and awkward in equal measure.

He knew that he did love her in many ways, and that he would be honoured to eventually be able to have her as a... _daughter_? _Stepdaughter_? He didn't know how that would work, but he knew that was what he wanted.

But he also thought that telling her he loved her too would be inappropriate, for the time being. They weren't related – he was basically a stranger who happened to be nice to her and was dating her mother. And C.C. might not like it, either. Their relationship was so new, coming in and saying something like that could jeopardise it, and he didn't want that...

He had to come up with a compromise. He gently hugged her back, and chuckled.

"You make me very happy too, sweetheart," there was more than a good chance that she was too young to know the difference between what she'd said and what he'd said, but just in case, he decided to change the subject as he released her. "So, before we go and collect your Mommy from the hospital, how would you like to have some breakfast?"

That piqued the little girl's attention. The memories of Niles' delicious waffles and of his hot cocoa were enough to divert her attention from the... sweet (and somewhat awkward) moment they had just shared. Not completely, but it was enough.

Not that Amelia would mention it (and manly because her mother had always been very clear about not knowing how to contact her real Daddy) but the feeling caused by Niles being around was, in a sense, how she had imagined having a Daddy felt like.

Amelia loved her mother very much, not to get her wrong, but sometimes, when she saw her friends and their daddies, she felt a strange aching for something that she had never had. Granted, her small mind couldn't quite garsp that what she wanted was to have some sort of paternal figure, but part of her sensed that it had to do with her lack of a father. But knowing that her asking about her father usually upset her mother (although C.C. tried very hard not to show it), Amelia had decided since a very young age to not ask much about her father.

Niles, however, was a different story. Amelia didn't exactly know what it was, but something about the man made her feel safe, and he clearly made her Mommy very happy, too. Objectively speaking, he was just a nice, new man in her life, but there was something about his mannerisms and about how he behaved around her that made her feel quite at ease with him.

So, in a sense (and although she wasn't exactly conscious of this), Amelia was starting to see Niles as some kind of a paternal figure.

But back to the matter at hand, the mention of breakfast was enough to make Amelia practically jump in excitement on Niles' bed.

"Yes! Can I have your waffles again?" the girl asked.

Niles smiled at her, amused by the sheer excitement practically seeping from the child. "I don't see why not! But, if you want, I can prepare you any other thing you want!"

The girl stopped jumping for a moment and looked thoughtful. "What about... hotcakes?"

"You want hotcakes?"

Amelia nodded.

"Then hotcakes is what we shall have," he helped her down the bed and he then shoved his feet into his slippers. "Come on, let's go downstairs."

"Okay!" she grasped for his hand and pulled as hard as she could to get him to hurry up.

Of course she couldn't actually shift him, but Niles sped up anyway, making her laugh when he pretended she'd pulled so hard he'd nearly fallen over.

He didn't let go of her hand as they got to the stairs and made it down into the kitchen. Placing his own apron over her, leaving himself uncovered, he began to gather the ingredients to make the hotcakes. Just as they had done with the waffles, he allowed her to mix the ingredients together while he poured the batter into the hot frying pan, and then he guided her hands when she asked if she could flip the cakes with the spatula. Soon, they had a fine pile of hotcakes, ready to be served.

Niles pulled out a chair for Amelia and picked her up to settle her on the seat, before slipping two hotcakes onto a plate, cutting them up and slicking them with a little bit of butter and drizzling maple syrup on them. He then placed this in front of the little girl.

"There we are," he said, beaming at the look of delight on the girl's face. "Would you like some cocoa to go with it?"

The girl spun in her chair excitedly, "Can I really have some?!"

He chuckled, "Of course you can! Even if I do say so myself, I make the best cocoa."

Amelia took to watching him prepare her drink, only occasionally picking up pieces of hotcake to eat. Niles didn't mind at all; she deserved a relaxed breakfast after a rough end to the day before. She deserved a lot of things, and he was going to treat her the best he could, which included slipping as many marshmallows as he could fit into her mug.

"And here is your hot cocoa, Little One," Niles said as he lowered the mug on the table. It was lucky that Eve and Jonah weren't awake yet – he would have had to make them hot cocoa if they had been up, and that would have meant less marshmallows for C.C.'s little girl.

The look of delight on Amelia's face when she saw the many marshmallows in her drink was absolutely priceless, and he couldn't help but laugh when he saw the "chocolate moustache" she got just over her lips after she had taken a sip of her drink.

He soon discovered Amelia adored to talk. As she ate, the girl told him all about the different things she'd learnt that week, about what she and her Mommy usually did on Sundays and how excited she was about him coming to live with them.

The girl was absolutely adorable, and he couldn't help but notice how similar she was to C.C.. He could see her mother in the girl's mannerisms; in the way she spoke, sat or even in the way she laughed. She was outstandingly similar to her in terms of physical appearance, but Niles noticed something in her eyes... those weren't a trait that had been given to her by C.C..

The shape of her eyes was the same as C.C.'s, but the colour... _the colour_ was different.

It was a brighter shade of blue – they almost had an incandescence of their own. And, for some reason, they reminded him of his own eyes.

He remembered C.C. mentioning she had been reminded of him whenever she looked into Patrick's eyes, and Amelia having those eyes – _his_ eyes, in a sense – produced a number of powerful emotions to course his body.

It was almost like he was...

He couldn't allow that thought. Not before C.C. had allowed it, and not before Amelia had allowed it, either. Whatever they wanted, that's what was going to happen. And, right now, all that Amelia wanted was to tell him about the art and English homework she had to do later that day, and to finish her hotcakes. He concentrated on listening, and on eating his own breakfast. The hotcakes were rather delicious, and thinking about that instead of The Other Thing was a much safer route to be travelling down.

As soon as both were finished, Niles cleaned the plates away and took Amelia back upstairs so that she could clean her teeth and get dressed. Then he had run a comb quickly through her hazel hair (having helped Miss Margaret, Miss Grace, and Miss Eve with their own before), and dressed and cleaned himself, they were ready to set off for the hospital.

He'd have to come back to the mansion to pick up his and Amelia's things, but he was sure the little girl was more anxious about seeing C.C. again than anything else.

"Right," he brought his hands together in a concluding fashion. "Are you all set to go pick your Mommy up?"

"Yes I am!" the girl exclaimed, grabbing her toy monkey before Niles helped her into her little, white coat. "Can we take her some flowers?"

Niles arched an eyebrow and smiled down at Amelia. That was a really nice idea. One that would probably cause C.C. to call him an old sap, but a nice idea all the same.

"I don't see why not!" he said as he wrapped a scarf around Amelia's neck. It still amused him how the girl's style was basically the same as her mother's, only her clothes were several sizes smaller and had drawings of flowers, hearts or things of the sort. "We can buy some in the hospital's gift shop. Does that sound good?"

Amelia nodded enthusiastically and grasped his hand. She was used to being carried around like that by her Mommy and by her grandpa or by her Uncle Noel.

"Wonderful. Now off we go," said Niles and the two of them made their way to the car.

Maxwell had allowed Niles to use the Porsche to pick C.C. up (mainly because it was the only car that counted with child safety seats). But as Niles was about to buckle Amelia up, the girl said, "Wait!"

"What's wrong, Little One?" he asked.

"We haven't put your things and mine in the _truck_!"

"Trunk," Niles gently corrected her. "And we can do that later, so we can see Mommy sooner!"

The girl's brow furrowed. "She won't like that."

"Why do you say so?" Niles was now positively curious.

"Because Mommy always says that it's bad to leave for later what you can do now. And she also says that laziness brews incompetence and that Babcocks are never lazy nor incompetent."

Now _that_ was _hilarious_.

And he did so want to laugh at the way she was taking on such a knowledgeable expression throughout all of it.

But he didn't want her to get the wrong idea, either. Instead, he decided it was better that he agreed, "Alright, then. We'll go and get our things from upstairs first."

Amelia smiled and hopped down from the car seat, "Okay. But Bananas can stay in the car, right?"

Niles' smile vanished and he raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Bananas?"

She held up her toy monkey, as though it were obvious whom she meant.

He nodded in understanding, " _Oh_ , of course Bananas can stay in the car."

He leaned in close, pointing a joking warning finger in the monkey's face. "But if we come back and find him swinging from any of the headrests, that will be the last time he's allowed on car rides."

Amelia laughed, and hugged her monkey close, before putting him down on the seat, "He'll be good, he promises."

"That's what I wanted to hear," Niles said and he gently took Bananas from Amelia's hands and sat him on the other child's seat. He then patted it on the head twice. "We'll be back soon, Bananas."

The pair went upstairs and grabbed their suitcases. They had to make more than one trip due to the amount of suitcases Niles had, but Amelia insisted in helping him take his luggage down. He didn't actually allow her to grab a suitcase (they were too heavy for her to carry), but she did get to hold onto one of the handles as he took it down the stairs and to the car's trunk.

Once the suitcases were properly packed and Amelia was buckled up in her seat, Niles climbed onto the driver's seat and they began their way to the hospital. The distance between the mansion and the hospital wasn't a long one, but it took them quite a while to reach their destination due to traffic.

It was horrible, as usual.

But once the car was parked and he, Amelia and Bananas had gotten out of it, they made their way to C.C.'s room, making a quick stop at the hospital's gift shop, where Niles bought C.C. a bouquet of roses and a "Get Well Soon" card.

When they opened the door to C.C.'s room, they found the woman already awaiting for them in a wheelchair.

"Mommy!" Amelia squealed in delight and ran to her mother, who was looking a lot better that the day before (although the pain medicine that was safely stored in her purse had a lot to do with that).

"Hi, sweetie," she opened her arms to receive as much of a hug as she could from her daughter, given her current position. She leaned over a little ways and soundly kissed the little girl on the head. "Did you miss me?"

Amelia hugged her as tight as she could, "Yeah..."

The little girl sounded like the question had made her a little bit upset. She'd probably been worried sick all evening...

She'd have to talk to Niles about it, when she got the opportunity, and make it up to her daughter in the meantime.

"Aw, I missed you too, baby," C.C. kissed her again. "But now we can go home! How does that sound?"

Releasing her mother, Amelia began to bounce up and down on her lap, "Good!"

"It sounds like a perfect idea to me, too," Niles decided now was an alright moment to step in, mother and daughter having had time to greet each other, and he held out the flowers and card for C.C. to take. "We made a little stop on the way here – we thought it might cheer you up. Amelia picked these roses out all by herself!"

"Did you, now?" C.C. smirked quickly up at Niles before turning to her little girl, who nodded. C.C. beamed, and used one arm to pull her in for another hug and a kiss. "Well, I think that deserves a kiss all by itself!"

Amelia giggled and allowed her mother to kiss her again before she gave C.C. a kiss of her own.

Niles was still absolutely wondered by the sight of C.C. being an adorable and loving mother. This softer side suited her, and he was honoured to be allowed to witness it. Years ago he would have never imagined C.C. was actually capable of being this way, but life was absolutely full of surprises.

"Niles helped, too," Amelia said, smiling up at the butler. "And he bought the card and the roses!"

"Well, then he deserves a kiss too!" C.C. said, an idea springing inside her mind. They had been looking for a moment to tell Amelia about their relationship, and this could be it. The girl definitely knew that certain shows of affection were only made when two people loved each other – she had been certain to teach her that – and one of those displays of affections, were kisses.

Granted, she wasn't planning on snogging Niles in front of Amelia, but a quick peck on the lips would do.

Niles seemed to pick up on what C.C. wanted to do, and he arched a questioning eyebrow at her. Was she sure? He had truly gotten along with Amelia, but was she ready? Well... C.C. was her mother. She knew what was best and she called the shots when it came to her daughter. So he leaned down and pecked her lips.

Amelia gasped, but instead of looking horrified or scared, like Niles had dreaded, she giggled.

"Why did you kiss him Mommy?" she asked.

C.C. straightened herself out, and prepared to explain. She was hoping that the agreed phrase would be enough to make her daughter understand what was going on. That wasn't going to make saying any of it easier, and she was more than a little afraid of the possibility that Amelia wouldn't like it, would feel that she was going to be replaced somehow, that it would damage the relationship that they had...she knew she wouldn't give up her daughter for any reason whatsoever, but losing Niles again after just getting him back would hurt so badly...

But she wouldn't know what was going to happen until she said something and found out. She gently used her free hand to take Niles', and continued hugging Amelia with the other, before addressing her little girl.

"Well, you see...um," she sighed, and started again, feeling like maybe she what she was going to say was going about it all wrong. "You know how people have friends? Really good friends, that you wouldn't ever want to be away from?"

Amelia nodded, and let her mother continue.

"Well, sometimes – a lot of the time, actually, people have _special friends_ ," she explained. "And these friends are closer to us than any of our other friends. They make us laugh, and we joke with them and talk to them, and have fun. But we also do other things, like kiss and hug and hold hands. And that's what Niles is for me...he's my special friend."

Amelia looked like she was processing that information.

Niles held his breath, and he was sure C.C. would be able to feel his grip tightening on her hand.

"Is that alright, Amelia?" he asked, fearing the answer.

Amelia looked at Niles, her face showing little emotion. She didn't look distraught or angry, but she was not all smiles, either. She looked thoughtful, and Niles tried to console himself by thinking that thoughtful didn't necessarily mean bad.

"But Mommy," the girl spoke, cocking her head to one side. "You kissed him on the lips!"

C.C. nodded, not really knowing where her daughter was going. "Yes... I did kiss him on the lips."

"And you are holding my Mommy's hand," the girl addressed the butler.

"Yes I am, Little One."

Amelia then became silent once again, as if considering all the facts and the information that she had been given. And suddenly, they could see that something had clicked inside her head, and she gave both her mother and the butler a beaming smile.

"It's like in Disney movies!" she exclaimed. "You kissed him because you are in love. Do you love him Mommy?"

"Yes I do," C.C. said, briefly looking up at Niles and giving him an encouraging smile.

"And do you love my Mommy?" the girl asked Niles.

"With all my heart," Niles said, giving C.C. a smile of his own. Things were clearly going okay; Amelia hadn't snapped or cried (so far).

"So you are boyfriend and girlfriend!" the girl concluded, giggling. "Right, Mommy?"

Whilst Niles tried to make his spluttering laughter sound like a coughing fit, C.C.'s face froze half in a smile, half in a look of shock.

"Uh...well, we weren't going to call it that, but yes, I suppose we are," she eventually replied. "Is that okay with you?"

The minute it wasn't, both adults knew they'd have no choice in the matter. But if the little girl's current grin was anything to go by, she wasn't upset by this idea at all.

In fact, she looked rather elated at the prospect.

And indeed she was. She really did love having Niles around, and if he and her Mommy were boyfriend and girlfriend, then that would mean he'd be around all the time!

"Yeah, that's okay with me!" she hugged her mother again, and then raced around to the other side of her chair to give Niles his own hug.

"I certainly am glad to hear that," Niles hugged her back tighter than he had done so previously, and grinned up at C.C..

"So am I," C.C. added, looking at the two most important people in her life in adoration. "But, if you don't mind, could we move this celebration outside so we can go home? I don't know about you, but I am rather tired of being here!"

Niles and Amelia both laughed, and the little child let go of Niles before climbing onto her mother's lap. C.C. wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her while Niles moved to the back of the chair and began pushing it towards the exit.

C.C. had already signed the discharge papers and had been given all the medication she needed, so the only thing that was left was going back home. Even though her stay at the hospital had been an extremely short one, she couldn't wait to be in her home, lying on her own bed and with her daughter and her... _boyfriend_ … by her side.

The word boyfriend still sounded juvenile but, for all intents and purposes, that's what they were.

They were a couple.

They had to make a stop at the front desk so C.C. could be given her crutches before going to the car, but once she'd gotten them, Niles continued to push her wheelchair to the Porsche.

"Alright," he said as he put the crutches in the trunk and closed it. "I am going to need you to move, Little One. I have to help your Mommy out of her wheelchair."

The girl obeyed and even opened the door of the passenger seat for Niles before she herself climbed into the back of the car and settled Bananas on the child safety seat next to her own

Meanwhile, Niles slipped a hand underneath her knees and wrapped the other around her upper back.

"You carry Mommy like she's a Disney princess, too," Amelia called out to him, and the two adults shared a smirk, before C.C. looked over at her daughter.

"He'd better," she replied, making the little girl laugh.

"And I'd better watch out and make sure of it, otherwise Her Royal Highness could have me thrown in the dungeons forever and ever," Niles joined in on the fun as he delicately set C.C. in the front passenger seat. "Not that I think she would, because she's as merciful as she is beautiful."

C.C. completely and utterly failed to look unimpressed – she folded her arms, but could only grin at him in return.

"We'll see how merciful I am," she replied, lifting her arms up when Niles reached over to plug in her seatbelt. Because of her ribs, she couldn't exactly move to do it herself. "If I'm feeling kind, he might get a reward."

"What reward will he get, Mommy?"

The question caught the couple off-guard, if they were honest. A glint of mischievous amusement sparked in C.C.'s eyes.

"Well, that all depends on what he'd like," she looked over at Niles, who had made to stand up so he could go and put Amelia's seatbelt around her, but was now caught half-way between crouching and standing. "Tell me, Sir Niles, what would you have that I might grant you?"

Well, if she was going to play that game, then he was more than happy to do so, as well.

"Nothing more or less than being your Prince Charming, Your Royal Highness," he staged a bow.

C.C. rolled her eyes while Amelia laughed from the back of the car. In the little girl's eyes the man was more than funny.

"Smooth talker," C.C. said and had to bite back a grin.

"Only for you, my dear," Niles replied as he helped Amelia with her seatbelt. He still couldn't believe just how well everything had gone! Amelia was happy with their relationship, and now they'd slowly move forward, together.

They made their way back to the mansion chatting and joking, and Niles made sure to go extra slow for C.C.'s safety. He didn't want to put her in any more pain than she was already in.

"And did you do your homework, sweetheart?" C.C. asked her girl as they approached their home. She was almost sure of what her answer would be.

"Nope..." the girl replied, almost sounding sheepish. "I was too worried."

"You have nothing to worry about," C.C. said looking over her shoulder as best she could. "I am okay, sweetheart."

"Exactly," Niles interjected. "And I'll help you do it while Mommy rests. Okay?"

He saw Amelia nod on the rear-view mirror and he smiled as he pulled up the driveway and parked the car. He then turned the engine off, helped Amelia out of her seat and removed the wheelchair from the trunk before setting C.C. into it once again.

The moment they entered the house, however, they came across with none other than B.B. and Stewart Babcock.

 _So much for a tranquil morning..._

"Grandpa! Grandmamma!" Amelia exclaimed before running towards her grandparents.

"Hi there, Sparky!" Stewart gathered his granddaughter into his arms and kissed her cheek, receiving one in return. "Happy to see us?"

"Mm-hm," Amelia nodded, leaning over to kiss B.B. as well. "Good morning, Grandmamma!"

"Hello, dear," B.B. gave her granddaughter her own quick kiss on the cheek. "What are you doing outside? Where is your mother?"

"I'm right here, Mother," C.C. called out to them as Niles wheeled her over.

Both her parents' eyes widened, and they hurried over, Amelia still in Stewart's arms.

"C.C.! Kitten, what happened?!" he nearly shouted, settling Amelia down on the ground so that he could examine his daughter.

Amelia went to Niles, and hugged at his legs. He took one hand off the wheelchair so that he could rest his hand on her head, holding her there.

"There was a slight mishap involving a driver going the wrong way down the street I happened to be crossing," C.C. explained. "But I promise I'm fine. Just a few broken bones."

"And you didn't think to call?!" B.B. exclaimed, sounding indignant and worried in equal measure.

"I rarely agree with your mother, but she is right," Stewart stroked C.C.'s hair, looking at her in the eyes. "You should have called us!"

C.C. grimaced. "I am sorry... it was a really hectic day and by the time I had some peace the medication made me sleepy. Not to mention I was worried about what to do with Mia."

"I stayed with the Sheffields!" the girl piped up, going over to her grandmother and asking to be carried by her. B.B. lifted her in her arms and allowed her to rest her head on her shoulder. "And with Niles, too."

"You contacted the Sheffields?" Stewart, despite his worry, couldn't help but smile. He had tried to encourage her to go back to them since she had first returned to New York

"In a sense..." the former producer said, smiling. "It was more like fate brought me to their doorstep."

"And what do you mean by that, dear?" B.B. asked.

"She met her boyfriend and he took her to them!" Amelia piped up, playing with a loose strand of her grandmother's hair.

B.B. softly took Amelia's hand away from her hair, and stared in confusion at the child.

"Boyfriend?" she echoed. "What do you mean, " _boyfriend_ "?"

The older socialite turned to her daughter for clarification.

"What does she mean, " _boyfriend_ "?" she asked again. "Since when do you-"

"B.B., how about we give C.C. a chance to explain?" Stewart interrupted. "I'm sure we'll get all the answers we want, but no one will get anywhere if we all just stand around parroting everything everyone else says."

C.C. couldn't help but be relieved by her father stepping in like that. Her mother's stressed reaction to the news was making her feel anxious, and someone coming in to stop her had quelled it momentarily. She was no doubt going to feel anxious again when B.B. knew the truth. But she was going to have to know, and sooner rather than later. If she was lucky, her father would be just as supportive of them as he had been when he'd found out about Mia.

"Thank you, Daddy," she quickly looked up at Niles. He was also wearing an expression which suggested dread. She looked back at her parents again. "I'll tell you everything, but I think we should get into the house first, that way we can all be comfortable, and Mia can get started on the homework she hasn't yet finished."

"Very well," Stewart said and moved back so Niles could push the chair into the kitchen and make their way to the living room. Stewart and B.B. followed them, and the latter lowered Amelia back onto the floor so she could look for her school books and she could start her homework.

When they reached the sofa, Niles carefully scooped C.C. up in his arms and laid her on the cushions, taking care that her back rested properly against the back of the sofa. He then pushed the coffee table towards her, put a little pillow from the sofa on it and set her encased foot on top the pillow.

"Thank you," C.C. said, reaching out for Niles' hand and squeezing it. "Can you check that Amelia has everything and bring her down here? She can do her homework in the kitchen."

He nodded, realising what C.C. wanted – if Amelia was in the kitchen then she wouldn't hear the conversation being had by the adults.

"Of course," he said and took off for the upstairs landing.

In the few minutes that took Niles to get Amelia from her room, Stewart had prepared some tea and brought some cookies for him, his daughter, his ex-wife and Niles.

So once Niles had made sure that the girl had her animal crackers, a glass of juice and was colouring her drawing, he went back to C.C., ready for a hard conversation. He sat down next to her and clutched at her hand.

Stewart raised an amused eyebrow.

"So, C.C..." he began, his lips pursing as though he were trying to stave off smiling. "This...boyfriend of yours..."

C.C. didn't look over towards Niles, even though the urge was there. She didn't want her mother to interrupt by deciphering it all too quickly. She knew B.B. would probably put up a fight about her dating a servant, and she wanted to ease them both into it, rather than just spring it on them.

Although her father's eyes were resting on their hands. He'd probably figured it out already, and he was just waiting for her to confirm it. Well, it was nice that at least one of them wasn't yelling about it.

"Yes..." she said, waiting as patiently as one could when it felt like there was a time bomb ticking away somewhere in the room.

Leaning back comfortably in his seat, Stewart folded his arms, cocked his head to one side, and grinned, "What's he like?"

That wasn't the question she'd expected at all, but she supposed her father might have also been easing B.B. into what he'd already worked out.

"Well...he's the kindest man I know. And the most charming. He works hard to take care of the people he loves, and can't stand it when they're hurt or upset. He has the best sense of humour of anyone I've ever met, and a needle-sharp wit. He's also very intelligent, and he knows so, and he's proud of it but he's not arrogant in any way," she felt – no, she knew – she was gushing, but she couldn't help herself. "He is humble, and he is accepting, and he loves me and Amelia. And I don't know how I ever managed without him."

"Yes, yes, but do we know him?" B.B. asked, sounding impatient. She probably wanted C.C. to say a famous or powerful surname – someone they'd met at some function or other, and who had been charming, witty, and wealthy. Someone who could keep her daughter and granddaughter in the life to which they were accustomed.

Well, she was in for a big surprise...

"Yes, you do," she said, her voice sounding surprisingly stronger than she really felt. "Actually you've known him for a long time."

Only then did she dare to look over at Niles. She found he was looking at her too, and from the corner of her eye C.C. saw her father smile. He knew... now they had to wait for her mother's reaction.

And she was fearing it with good reason.

Back when she had first told B.B. about her pregnancy, her mother had practically vanished her from her life until their reconciliation after Amelia's first birthday. They owed it to Noel, who had put his efforts in getting them to at least talk civilly to each other again.

It didn't take long for B.B. to basically fall in love with her grandchild, but it had been hard for her and C.C. to get over their fight. But B.B. had apologised and she had kept her word of being a good grandmother. C.C. could only hope that she'd come to accept Niles as she had come to accept her situation with Amelia.

The blonde looked back at her parents and smiled. "Daddy," she looked at B.B., "Mother, I am dating Niles, the Sheffield's butler."

Silence.

Silence for a very long time.

Everyone in the room were starting at B.B. and holding their breath. Would she scream? Be angry? Storm out of the room?

"So… _he_ is your new boyfriend?" the older woman said in a clipped voice and pointed at Niles.

C.C. nodded.

"Okay. Congratulations then," B.B. frowned. "Why are you looking at me that way?"

C.C. was at loss for words. She was okay with her dating a butler?! But why?! She was B.B. Babcock, for God's sake!

"Who are you and what did you do with my mother?" C.C. deadpanned.

"Why do you-" B.B. trailed off for a moment as understanding washed over her. "Oh, you mean because I am not mad?" the older socialite laughed and waved a dismissive hand. "Darling, I have accepted so many things in my life that _this_ is nothing! I have accepted that my only son is homosexual and that my youngest daughter had a child out of wedlock – I am completely fine with you dating a servant. If he makes you happy and takes care of you both, then you won't hear any complaints from me."

And suddenly it was like someone had removed the bomb from the room. All the tension was gone, and it was released from both halves of the couple in a loud exhale of breath, culminating in light, happy laughter. C.C. put a hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating fast, and then she grinned up at Niles, who hadn't released her hand yet and probably didn't intend to.

She didn't mind that part at all, though. Even if her parents had minded, she wouldn't have let go.

"Thank you, Mother..." she breathed, calming herself. "I...I just didn't expect that kind of reaction. I hate to say it, but I was almost assuming that you were going to-"

B.B. shook her head, "There's no need to apologise, dear. I know that we had our _disagreements_ when Mia was first born, and that you were probably afraid something like this would make it all come back again. But I don't want us to end up not talking to each other again. And if this man makes you and Amelia happy, then I am happy as well."

"I certainly try my hardest, Mrs Babcock," Niles nodded once, smiling.

"I think we know that, Niles – when you brought C.C. in to set her down, I'd never seen such care, not even from doctors whose job it is to make people comfortable," Stewart cut in. "And even before all of this happened, I thought I sensed something between the two of you, so I'm glad I was proved right in that regard."

B.B. rolled her eyes at Stewart. "What a surprise!" she said in a monotone, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You loving being right. Absolutely unseen and unheard of."

Stewart gave his ex-wife an unimpressed stare. "B.B., are we really going to do this when our child has just given us such good news?"

"Start what?" the older woman said, taking a sip of her tea. The younger couple could see she was trying very hard not to smirk. "I was merely pointing something out."

"Sure you were," Stewart grumbled. He knew B.B. still adored getting a rise out of him. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand, I am very happy for you both."

"Thank you, Daddy," C.C. said, now allowing Niles to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"And does Amelia like him?" B.B. asked.

"Well, she was really happy about our relationship when we told her," C.C. glanced over at the kitchen, trying to get a glimpse of her little girl but not quite managing it. She couldn't stretch much due to the fractures. "And she told me she spent a good night at the Sheffields with Niles. By the way, I didn't ask, did she sleep well?"

Niles' lips pursed. The answer to that question was a bit difficult – Amelia had not slept well when she was sleeping on her own, but after she'd moved to his bed everything was fine. He just didn't want to make C.C. feel guilty for Amelia being afraid, but he couldn't lie to her either.

"I guess you could say so..." he began. "She had a nightmare and came to my bed in the wee hours of the morning, but after I tucked her in and sang her a song she slept quite peacefully."

"Oh, you sang for her?" C.C. couldn't help the delight in her innermost being. The thought of it warmed her greatly. She wanted them to spend as much time together as possible, so that they got to know each other.

She wanted them to be a family. It was too soon for her to say it out loud, but that's what she wanted.

Niles picked up on the happiness in her tone, "Yes, and then she fell asleep right after that. No more nightmares, and a good night's sleep."

C.C. nodded, "Good. And thank you, for helping her through it."

"No need to thank, it was my pleasure," he smiled gently back, and rubbed her shoulder.

Suddenly, the peaceful silence was interrupted by the patter of a small set of feet, coming from the kitchen. Amelia scurried in, a piece of paper held delicately in both hands.

"I finished my art homework, Mommy!" she cried out, holding the paper up for C.C. to inspect.

"You did?" C.C. took the proffered paper. "We'll, we're definitely all gonna have to look at this...!"

C.C. gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. The drawing was absolutely beautiful! She had long since noticed that Amelia was a talented little artist, but she had truly outdone herself this time!

The drawing depicted what appeared to be a little family having breakfast in the kitchen. It was obvious that it was the breakfast that she, Amelia and Niles had shared the day she was hit by a car! The girl had even taken care to draw the pancakes in detail – C.C.'s had raspberries while hers and Niles' had strawberries.

"I had to draw my favourite moment of the week," Amelia explained, smiling. "I liked cooking breakfast with Niles and then eating it all together!"

"Sweetie, it's gorgeous!" C.C. choked out, her eyes misting over faster than she could do anything about. For some reason the little scene drawn by her daughter had made her incredibly emotional – they truly looked like a family... a little, beautiful family that she could call her own.

It was too soon to put it in words and say it aloud, but C.C. knew that right there, depicted on paper and drawn by the hand of her small daughter, was everything she wanted and needed.

"It really is," Niles added, his eyes slightly glassy too.

Amelia smiled at her mother and Niles. "Thank you, Mommy! Thank you, Niles!" the child suddenly started, as though she had just remembered something. She spun on her heels and ran back to the kitchen and moments later scurried back into the living room, this time carrying three more pieces of paper.

"I made a drawing for Niles, too," Amelia said, handing him the piece of paper. On it she had drawn Niles singing to her last night. "And one for Grandpa and Grandmamma too!"

Soon, around the room there came cries of delight as each adult studied their drawings.

"Mia, this is an absolutely wonderful picture!" B.B. ran her fingers over each detail, almost in actual awe.

"I certainly have to agree there," Stewart grinned. "You are quite an artist, Sparky."

"Thank you, Grandpa and Grandmamma," Mia replied shyly.

Niles and C.C. looked at her, neither one able to disguise the looks of happiness or pride on their faces. She really did have a talent, and she was kind enough to share it with everybody. And if that homework piece came back home again, it was going to be framed. So that they could put it somewhere everyone could see and admire.

It was going to help show everyone who came into their home that a real little family lived there.

Niles looked down at his own drawing again, heart bursting with love. She'd drawn each and every little thing that she'd remembered – from the details on the face of her toy monkey, to the dark blue stripes on his pyjamas.

He knew he'd treasure it forever. It told him that he really was important to her, like she was to him.

And he hoped that one day, he'd be able to call her his own.

But for now, he'd enjoy the ride as they went. For now, he'd enjoy what he could have. And that was taking care of his girlfriend and her daughter. It was a lot more than he thought he'd get, and it made him happy.

Happiness, he realised as he looked between C.C. and Amelia, was right there in that very room.

* * *

 **AN: Hey ther! Sorry for the delay, we'be had a couple of hectic weeks. Anyway, we hope you enjoy our story and please let us know what you think!**

 **HL**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hi there! Thank you all for your reviews, they keep us going! We wanted to warn you this chapter has an M rated moment. Just so you know :) Well, enjoy the chapter, and as we usually say, let us know what you think!**

 **H &L**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 6_**

C.C. wouldn't say that her recent accident had been something positive, but in light of recent events she could at least agree that it had certain positive aspects to it – namely, Niles having come to live with her and Amelia.

During the past three weeks Niles had become a saving grace not only because he was a big help with the chores around the house, but also because he had become Amelia´s full-tome caretaker. Despite the fact most of her injuries had started to heal, C.C. still couldn't move on her own, so there were things – such as picking her daughter up from school, bathing her, changing her, among many others – that she needed help with.

And as a consequence, Niles and Amelia had started to spend a lot of time together, much to C.C.'s delight.

The two of them had hit it off instantly, and had made sure that C.C.'s long convalescence was as comfortable as it could be. He'd gotten the little girl to help him around the house with the cleaning, he helped her with her homework and he also tucked her in at night.

So, as the saying goes, _"every cloud has a silver lining"_. Niles arrival had clearly been one.

Truth to be told, C.C. found absolutely endearing just how well Amelia and Niles were getting along, so she constantly encouraged them to go out and have fun together, even if she couldn't go with them due to her injuries.

That's exactly why Amelia and Niles had gone to 5th Avenue that day. C.C.'s birthday was coming up, and they wanted to buy C.C. a present. Niles had already bought one with his own money (she had given him an extension of her credit card for the time being, but he'd chosen to buy the gift with his savings) but now Amelia wanted to buy one for her mother, too.

He had actually told C.C. about Amelia´s desire; C.C. had resolved to humour her daughter and gave Niles permission to take Amelia on a shopping spree. He had been wary at first (mainly because going on a shopping spree with a five year old and a limitless credit card was a bit of a risk, in more senses than one) but the producer had cajoled him into acquiescing her wishes and had clearly stated that she wholeheartedly supported the idea and that money was no concern. That last statement had actually been made clear by her using the phrase _"Niles, I am a millionaire. Let the kid buy whatever she wants for me and for her. Use my credit cards."_

He hadn't been able to say no to her after that. C.C. had practically insisted, and when she insisted upon something, it usually – always – got done.

That was why he was there on 5th Avenue, holding Amelia's hand firmly in his as they both stared around them, just wondering exactly where to begin. After taking a look in all possible directions, he crouched down in front of Amelia to speak to her.

"What exactly did you have in mind as a present for your Mommy?"

"Um...I don't know," the little girl admitted. "I just want it to be nice."

That didn't give them an awful lot to go on, but luckily they were right in the heart of the place where "nice" things could be found. It seemed some shopping around would be in order, that was all. And it would probably be easier to talk to the girl inside the stores, rather than out on the street, where the traffic was making it noisy.

"Well, why don't we start looking in the nearest store, and keep going until we find something, hm?" he suggested.

The little girl nodded back, a determined look in her eyes. She was definitely her mother's daughter, and she took his hand with what seemed to be a newfound sense of purpose as they began to head towards the nearest store.

And so they began their search for the perfect gift. As it so happened, the first store that they went into was Chanel, and although they did find many beautiful (and expensive) things, none of them really called Amelia's attention.

They hopped from store to store – Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci – but none seemed to have anything that Amelia liked.

Usually Niles would have protested or felt tired if anyone else had dragged him from store to store, but with Amelia it was different. With Amelia he was actually having fun...

He liked observing her as she walked around the stores, browsing the racks or looking at all the products attentively and occasionally asking him questions. The many clerks and salesgirls had eyed at her with endearment. Many had even expressed just what a nice and well-behaved girl she was!

And he couldn't blame them... Amelia was adorable, and dressed in a lilac Gucci dress and a white Chanel parka, she looked every bit of the rich little heiress she was – in other words, she fit perfectly in those stores.

After a fruitless two hour and a half search, the pair finally entered the only store they hadn't checked – Tiffany & Co.

"Hello, how might I help you today?" a young, smartly-dressed salesgirl approached them, a pleased smile on her face.

"We are looking for a birthday gift for my Mommy!" Amelia said. "It needs to be something really pretty because she is really pretty…" she trailed off and her eyes widened. She practically bolted to the other end of the store, where a diamond necklace was being shown in the shop's window, "… like this necklace!"

The sales assistant giggled, charmed by the child's energy and personality. "Your daughter is adorable," she said to Niles.

That struck Niles immediately. Not with hurt, or with joy – more like he'd been hit by an extremely brief and very violent gust of wind, that had left him feeling momentarily stunned.

None of the other salespeople, if they had assumed, had mentioned them being related...

Well, he couldn't very well say that she wasn't, either. That would send up more alarm bells than walking out with an armful of the contents of the store without paying. But he did want to be. And he was dating her mother...they weren't exactly related, but there was a possibility that they could be, one day...

Perhaps a happy medium would suffice.

He chuckled, "Well, actually, she's my stepdaughter."

It was less complicated than saying anything else, even if it wasn't entirely true yet.

The assistant nodded and smiled in understanding, "Oh, my apologies. It's just that she...well, you resemble each other so much-"

"No, no, it's fine," Niles couldn't help the little burst of joy inside him at the fact that she had said they'd resembled each other. "It's a common mistake."

They said no more about it, and began to wander over to where Amelia was still excitedly hovering over the necklace.

"Niles, isn't it pretty?" she was nearly jumping up and down in her happiness. "It's perfect for Mommy!"

He had to admit, the girl had good taste, even though she was still young. The necklace was, indeed, absolutely stunning. White gold, inlaid with a chain of square-cut diamonds, with the middle ending in a white gold heart that seemed to join the two sides together.

"Do you think Mommy will like it?" Amelia asked, looking up at him hopefully.

"I think your Mommy will absolutely adore it," Niles said, crouching down next to Amelia and smiling at her. "Do you want to buy her the necklace, sweetheart?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically, her little body practically bouncing in excitement.

"Very well. Then you can ask the nice saleswoman to wrap it up for you, okay?" Niles scooped the girl up in his arms so she could talk to the sales assistant face-to-face.

"Okay," Amelia said and wrapped her arms around Niles' neck before addressing the saleswoman. "Can I have that necklace, please?"

"Of course you can!" the sales assistant beamed at the girl. "And we'll wrap it up real nice so you can give it to your Mommy for her birthday."

"Thank you very much!" Amelia exclaimed.

Once the sales assistant had gotten a new necklace for C.C., she neatly wrapped the light-blue box up and put it in a bag. She then stapled a white ribbon to the side of the bag as a finishing touch. Niles then proceeded to pay an obscene amount of money for the piece of jewellery – more than he earned in a year! – and Amelia was given the bag with her purchase. They left the store feeling pleased with themselves, but also completely drained. Their long search had taken its toll on them, so seeing as they needed to rest and it was almost lunchtime, Niles decided to have lunch out with his "stepdaughter".

He truly hoped that one day he could at least call her that – the ideal would be that he could call her his daughter, of course – but only time would tell.

"Where are we going now?" the young girl asked.

"To have lunch, Little One," Niles replied, tidying her little scarf so that the cold gushes of wind wouldn't get into her clothes and cause her to catch a cold.

"Can we go to McDonald's?"

The girl may be a millionaire, but she was just like any other child in that regard...

He chuckled, "Yes, we can go to McDonald's."

"Yay!" the girl squealed, and hugged at his legs. "You're the best, Niles!"

That was the highest praise he'd probably had all day, and he was very grateful for it. He certainly hoped C.C. would like the necklace – it was gorgeous, and it had come from her daughter, so everything suggested that she would.

He just couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she opened it.

But he'd have to wait. Her birthday wasn't just yet, and they had lunch to attend to.

They found the nearest McDonald's, and Niles ordered them a meal each, before they settled down at a table. Amelia took the little toy from her Happy Meal and started examining it. It looked like a tiny wind-up robot, and even though it wasn't anywhere near as expensive or elaborate as her toys at home, she seemed happy with it, as well as with her meal.

They didn't eat quickly – there was no rush, and it gave them a chance to talk some more.

He smiled as he observed her play with her toy; the girl was completely focused on her game, and she was pretending that the robot and one of the ketchup packets were friends. He had seen scenes like this plenty of times before – after all he had taken care of the Sheffield children for yeas now – but for some reason watching Amelia play was... _special._ He didn't really know why, but it was endearing.

He looked down towards were her half-eaten meal lay. It was getting cold, and Amelia needed to eat. So, as much as he liked seeing her play, her health came first.

"You should eat, Little One," he pointed to her fries and playfully stole one.

"Hey!" Amelia protested and snatched it back. "They are mine!"

The butler laughed. "Oh, dang, I was hoping to get it for myself!"

Once again he "attempted" to steal a fry, but Amelia used her robot to "protect" her meal. He pretended to be frustrated and slumped against the back of his chair as the girl giggled.

"My robot Chip won't let you!" she said and placed it before her meal as she grabbed a chicken nugget and took a bite of it.

"He is a fair guardian, I must admit. Do you like robots?" Niles asked, grabbing one of his own chicken nuggets.

"Yep," Amelia replied as she chewed on her food. "But my favourite toys are dolls – especially princess dolls."

"Oh, I see," he sipped on his drink, and replaced it on the table. He thought he'd found a good way to keep the conversation flowing. "Who's your favourite princess?"

"Cinderella," the little girl replied with no hesitation whatsoever.

"Ah, alright," Niles smiled. "Why is she your favourite?"

Amelia thought about it for a while, "She's nice, and she sings really well. She has animal friends, and she's really pretty."

Niles nodded, but before he could say anything, Amelia piped up again as she studied one of her fries.

"She looks like Mommy."

That was a fair enough assessment to make. He'd never seen C.C. as the servant type, obviously, but he could see why her daughter would see her as being like Cinderella; specifically, the blonde hair and blue eyes.

"I also like Sleeping Beauty," Amelia said, interrupting his thoughts. "I like it at the end when her prince comes and saves her."

"You like it when there's a happily ever after?" the butler asked, now no longer paying attention to his food himself.

He was genuinely interested in what the girl had to say about this – he might, if they had time, ask if she wanted to watch a movie. And hearing about her interests would make it easier to pick one out.

"Yeah," she replied, looking down at her food, and then back up at him. "I like it when the princess gets her Prince Charming."

Niles smiled. It seemed Amelia was just like any other little girl when it came to princess stories.

"Well, it is always nice when the prince and the princess fall in love and have their happily ever after," he said, helping Amelia open a packet of ketchup and putting some of it over her fries.

"Yeah, when that happens everyone is happy!" Amelia said, grabbing another fry and wolfing it down. "But do you know what my favourite thing is?"

Niles thought for a few moments before answering; he thought about the many times when they had watched movies at the mansion, but he couldn't quite pinpoint the girl's favourite part. She always got really excited when the prince and the princess got married or when the prince saved the princess, but that was about it...

"What do you like the most, Little One?" he eventually asked, smiling down at her as they both ate.

"I like it when the prince carries the princess in his arms!" she exclaimed, dabbing some ketchup on her fry. She was thoughtful for a moment and the smirked at him. "Like you carry Mommy!"

Niles laughed softly – it wasn't the first time Amelia said that he carried C.C. like a princess. "Well, yes, but I do it because your Mommy needs help because she is still hurt due to the accident."

"I know... but you also love Mommy, right?"

The butler nodded.

Amelia looked pleased with his answer and sat back on her chair. She observed him for a long time – almost as though she was scrutinising him. What was she thinking about?

"So if you love Mommy and you carry her around, when are you gonna marry her? You know, like princes do..."

The smile dropped away from Niles' face – he physically felt it.

He didn't know what to say to her question. How could he possibly reply simply to something so complicated? He and C.C. did love each other; they knew that, but they'd only just gotten together, really. They hadn't even... _been intimate_...yet! Not that he'd be able to explain that part to her, anyway, it just happened to be another factor.

Another thing on the list of reasons, each and every one too difficult to explain to the little girl patiently waiting in front of him for an answer.

"Um..."

Amelia bit her lip, eyes suddenly flashing with worry, "You look scared. Don't you wanna marry her?"

And suddenly he felt fear in his own chest, and he reached out a hand across the table in what he hoped was a comforting fashion.

"Oh, no, no, no, it's not that at all!" a panicked breath left his body, and he supposed that he'd have to at least tell her a little, even if only to stop her from being afraid of someone leaving her life without warning. "Of course I would, someday. It's just that your Mommy and I haven't talked about it yet."

"When are you gonna talk about it?" Amelia asked him, blinking.

That was something of a point...but they weren't ready, for so many reasons. He didn't want C.C. to feel pressured into anything.

"When we're both ready," he eventually said, giving it the kind of tone that worked on the twins when he wanted them to understand that that was the only answer they would get.

It seemed to work with Amelia, too, for the girl eventually nodded and went back to her food. By now he knew Amelia was not an overly-inquisitive child – he supposed that, as C.C. had told him, Amelia had quickly learnt that sometimes it was better not to push it.

In the past, there had been many questions about her father, but eventually the girl had understood that her Mommy couldn't give her the answers she wanted right then. She knew her birth father hadn't run away from her and, when she had gotten a bit older, her Mommy had promised she was going to tell her more about him. But in exchange for that, the girl had promised to not ask more questions about him.

It was a blessing that at such a young age Amelia was capable of understanding that some topics simply were too delicate to be discussed. She had learned to make the best of what she had (which, as her mother always reminded her, was a lot more than many people had) and enjoy herself.

That's why the rest of the day was just as fun as their morning had been. Niles took the child to the cinema, they went grocery shopping together and then they made a quick stop at a bakery near C.C.'s mansion and bought the former producer the cheesecake she liked so much. Then, they'd finally returned to their home.

"We are back!" Amelia exclaimed as she burst through the door, followed by Niles (who was carrying the many shopping bags).

As Niles put away their purchases (and hid the Tiffany & Co. bag in the butler's pantry), the little child dashed upstairs, towards her Mommy's room.

As she opened the door, she found her asleep. The television was on and C.C. was holding the remote in her hand, as it had become a habit these past few weeks. Her injured leg was propped up on some pillows and it was the only part of her body which wasn't covered by the warm, fluffy blanket Niles had placed on her when they'd left that morning.

Amelia silently climbed onto the bed, crawled to her mother's side and hugged her.

"Hey, Mommy," she whispered. "Are you awake?"

"Hm?" C.C. started, and looked down towards the sudden weight she felt on her one good side. She smiled when she saw her little girl. "Oh, hey, sweetie...! Did you have a good day today?"

"Uh-huh," Amelia nodded, snuggling into her mother's side.

"What did you do that was good?" C.C. slipped her arm around her daughter, and cuddled her close, glad to have been woken up in such a nice way.

"Niles took me to McDonald's," the little girl said. "I got a robot in my Happy Meal."

"Oh, that's nice!" C.C. smiled into her daughter's hair as the little girl showed her the tiny robot. She hadn't exactly set a rule as to whether or not Niles was allowed to give Amelia junk food, but she supposed just this once it wouldn't hurt. "Did you do anything else?"

"We watched a movie," Amelia continued. "And then we got groceries, and then we came back here."

"Mm, sounds good," C.C. kissed her daughter's head.

There was quiet for a second, but then Amelia jolted, as though she was remembering something important.

She bounced a little on the bed in her excitement, "Oh! We got cheesecake, too!"

"And as if by magic, it is here," called a voice from outside the door.

Both Amelia and C.C. looked up as Niles entered, carefully carrying a tray. Three plates of cheesecake and some forks were carefully arranged on it, the smallest slice obviously for Amelia. It was absolutely endearing to see how both mother and daughter's eyes glimmered when they first sighted the treat on the tray – he had thought it a million times before, but C.C. and Amelia were incredibly alike.

It wasn't a surprise, to be honest... as his mind reminded him, C.C. had been raising Amelia on her own, and so it was only natural that they had similar personalities – technically, C.C. had been the main role model in Amelia's life!

He carefully lowered the tray on her bedside table and passed C.C. and Amelia their plates before he grabbed his own and settled himself down against the pillows alongside them. He couldn't help but cherish the domesticity of the whole situation, and he found himself wishing that this was his routine from the rest of his days.

Of course that it would be even better if C.C. wasn't injured, but they'd eventually get there.

For now, he limited himself to enjoy from being close to his girlfriend and her daughter. Amelia actually snuggled in between he and C.C.; the latter had given Amelia the remote, and she was busy channel hopping and looking for something to watch.

"I would have started dating you sooner if I knew you came with cheesecake delivery," C.C. teased, taking a bite of her cake. "Not to mention the house has been spotless since I started dating a maid!"

"So that's the reason why you decided to date me?" Niles gave her an unimpressed look. "Because of the services I provide?"

"Some of them, yeah," a mischievous glint shone in her eyes. "I still have to try certain... _services_ of yours."

He grinned back at her, catching her drift. It was good that Amelia simply couldn't understand the implications in her mother's words yet...

In fact, she wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention at all.

Which was just as well, because the way C.C. looked at him as she cut of the tip of her cheesecake and slid it into her mouth was positively indecent.

He raised an eyebrow in return, and took a little of his own cake to his mouth. They had yet to try intimacy like that, but he would be lying if he said the notion hadn't been in his mind. More than a fair amount, too. He supposed that he had missed C.C. so much, wanting her in every possible way now that they were together was only natural. It had just been difficult, both with Amelia around, and now with C.C.'s injury.

They'd get there. They both knew that. It was just...frustrating, that it couldn't happen sooner.

Well, judging by the way C.C. was looking at him, she didn't care about her casts or her broken bones so much. At least, not as much as getting what she wanted from him.

Which he would be so happy to give. _So very happy_...

His musings were interrupted by a cartoon explosion from the television, and Amelia giggling. She'd found a Roadrunner cartoon, and was now absorbed in it.

Maybe when Amelia was at school, they could have a better discussion.

As long as they discussed it (and judging by the way she was behaving he suspected it would happen sooner rather than later), then everything would be perfectly okay.

For now, however, both he and C.C. resolved to enjoy from a tranquil afternoon together. An afternoon which soon turned into evening, and that was thoroughly spent watching cartoons and munching on different treats that Niles occasionally brought from the kitchen.

Seeing as they had eaten quite a lot of junk food, neither of them felt like having dinner; instead, Niles prepared them some homemade cocoa which they accompanied with some cookies.

Due to her injuries, C.C. couldn't help Amelia get ready for bed – the task now fell upon Niles, and he had gladly taken it. He would always prepare her a warm bath, help her dry her hair and get dressed once she had finished her bath and then he'd tuck her in. Usually, Amelia asked him to tell her a story or to sing her a song, and that night was no different.

"Niles?" she said, getting comfortable under the covers and hugging her toy monkey.

"Yes, Little One?"

"Can you tell me the story of the Beauty and the Beast? Please?"

He smiled. She adored that story... especially since he always sang "Be Our Guest" when he told it to her.

"Of course I can," he settled himself on the edge of her bed, and began the story.

Amelia listened intently, thrilled by everything that he described.

He was sure he'd probably done it the same way each time, but the effect on her was always the same – it was like she was hearing it for the first time again. He used different voices for all the characters, sang "Be Our Guest" perfectly in tune (with Amelia singing along, too), and brought the story to its happily ever after just as he tucked the covers in around the little girl.

She yawned, and stretched comfortably. The cocoa, followed by her bath and subsequent change into pyjamas, had made her warm and sleepy.

"Goodnight, Niles," she mumbled, her eyes barely able to remain open.

He whispered his own reply, "Goodnight, Mia."

The little girl turned over onto her side, and Niles knew it wouldn't be long before she was completely asleep. But he stayed anyway, until he knew for sure. Then, easing himself from her bed, he tiptoed quietly out of the room, leaving the door ajar behind him.

As he got to C.C.'s room, he glanced towards Amelia's room over his shoulder one last time – he could get used to this...

Actually, it was more like he _wanted_ to get used to _this_ – tranquil days spent together, and even more delightful evenings that would be laced with a blissful feeling of warmth and belonging.

Because that was what he felt whenever he was with C.C. and Amelia – he felt like he belonged. Not to get him wrong, the Sheffields were his family (in a certain way) but he'd never felt so content and at home like he did right then.

There was a time when he'd believed that he'd never get to experience this domestic bliss, but luckily fate had chosen to prove him wrong. With that thought in mind, he nodded softly and went back into the room.

"Is she asleep already?" C.C. asked from the bed. She'd gotten changed while he'd helped Amelia to bed, and the woman was using a tantalising satin nightgown. It was red, reached just a little above her knees and had a pronounced sweetheart neckline.

God... she was absolutely gorgeous!

He must have stayed in silence for a rather long period of time, because he soon heard her deep, sultry laugh echoing around the room.

"Like what you see?" the woman purred. "Even if I am all bruised and with a sturdy cast on my leg?"

Truth be told, the cast and the bruises hadn't even registered to him. The nightgown had taken all of his focus.

God, she really was beautiful. He honestly couldn't believe he'd gotten so lucky! And, if her current attire combined with the look she'd given him earlier was anything to go by, he was about to get even luckier.

"I, uh..." he tried to stammer out words, and gulped. He tried pulling at his collar, because for some reason the room had gotten quite a number of degrees hotter within the space of a few minutes. Maybe even seconds.

Well, when the very embodiment of "hot" was lying there seductively, waiting for him to come over, the room had no choice but to reflect the intensity.

"I'll take that as a "yes", then," she smirked, and beckoned him over with one finger. "Come on over here, Butler Boy. You can take a better look."

In the blink of an eye, Niles closed and locked the door (considering what was about to happen, he'd rather make sure Amelia didn't walk into them in the most inappropriate of times) and dashed to her bed.

The closer he got, the more he liked what he saw – the tingle he was feeling in certain parts of his anatomy was proof of this. She was breath-taking... the embodiment of sexy...

She was the most beautiful woman in the entire world.

He carefully lay down by her side, and he gingerly ran a hand up and down her flat stomach. She seemed to like the contact, for she hummed contentedly.

"That feels good," she said, and slipped one of her hands into his hair, entwining her fingers with his sandy locks.

"Good to hear so," he replied, leaning in and catching her lips in a slow, sensual kiss. "But I can do more than this..."

C.C. gave him a grin worthy of the Cheshire cat. Given that she couldn't move much, she simply shifted a bit so she could wrap her arms around his neck and pull him close. She then trailed kisses along his jaw.

"Then prove it," she purred against his ear.

For a fleeting moment, Niles thought about saying no – what about Amelia? What if she needed them? What if she heard something? – but then her heavenly touch quelled that worry in his mind. They would be careful and silent; if Amelia needed she'd call them, and if C.C. was okay with what they were doing, then so was he.

"With pleasure," he growled, moving to settle between her already open legs (taking care not to disturb her case) and continued his onslaught. He kissed her as his hands wandered, caressing the outlines of her body.

He delighted in the faint throaty moans erupting from her as he touched and kissed her. She was clearly enjoying herself (so was he, for that matter) but it was time to move things forward. Granted, he had to be extra careful given her state, but he'd make sure to make this a more than pleasurable experience for the both of them.

He pulled away for a second so he could get rid of his clothes. Garment after garment were removed – first his shirt, then his belt and pants, his socks... until he was only left in his underwear.

C.C. couldn't quite help the lusty smile spreading across her face. He wasn't a handsome man by traditional standards, but in her view his body was just perfect.

"Like what you see?" he teased, advancing towards her and pecking her lips.

"Quite a lot," she replied. "But I feel we are on uneven ground here," one of her hands travelled to one of the straps of her nightgown and pulled it down. She then repeated the action with the other. "I am too overdressed for the occasion."

Niles chuckled. God... he loved the woman...

Carefully – and mainly because he didn't want to put her in any pain – he helped her out of her nightgown.

His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when he took in her naked – naked! – form.

Not even Aphrodite could compete with her... she was... gorgeous, breath-taking, beautiful, sublime, divine...

And, by God, he was a lucky man!

He was almost entranced by her beauty – so much so he almost didn't notice her discomfort when her stretch marks came into view. She tried to cover them with her hands, feeling slightly ashamed. No one had seen her naked body since Patrick, and after the pregnancy she'd noticed that some stretch marks had lingered and that her hips had widened slightly.

That was when he noticed. When he'd been tracing her curves with his eyes but found his vision blocked by her hands.

He frowned down at them, confused. Why would she cover herself up? He looked back up at her, hoping that she'd say something which gave away what was troubling her. She looked... embarrassed? Why would she be embarrassed? Did she not like her body, and think that he wouldn't like it either?

"What's wrong?" he asked, trying to take one of her hands but finding it difficult because she seemed to be clamping them both to her sides.

"Nothing," she said quickly, wondering if perhaps having the lights off entirely would be a better idea.

"Then why won't you let me see?" Niles tried prising her fingers away from her body again.

"Because you won't like it," she said, feeling like maybe just having out with it would be better. "The...the stretch marks, and...and my hips...you won't like it..."

He wouldn't like the ugly reminders of her pregnancy; things he'd have to see if they were up close like that.

But nobody seemed to have told Niles that he wasn't supposed to like the marks, or her hips. Taking advantage of her explanation to loosen the grip of her hands, he leaned down again, and began to feather kisses all over her stretch marks, and up and down her hips.

He alternated his kisses with words, "You are...sublime...and I...love you, so very much...all of you...it's all beautiful...and I'm going to prove it..."

She barely had time to even begin to imagine what he had in mind, because only moments after he'd moved downwards, leaving a trail of kisses behind until he reached her core. She sucked in a breath through her teeth as he began to tease, placing kisses all around her womanhood and teasing her outer lips. She craved for more... _so much more._..

Almost as if he knew what she was thinking, he suddenly covered her clit with his mouth and he began to suck, his fingers aiding him in bringing her to ecstasy.

"God, yes!" she whimpered as he lapped at her clit and thrust his fingers into her rhythmically. The pleasure was overwhelming... completely and absolutely mind blowing!

The woman felt like she was in heaven, both due to his wonderful touch and also due to his sweet words. It had only taken a few moments for him to go from feeling ashamed, to actually feeling more comfortable in her skin.

There was still a long way to go – she couldn't quite bring herself to accept that her body was as beautiful as Niles had said, but she'd try to get better. But back to the matter at hand, he was slowly bringing her to the peak of her pleasure, and although part of her simply didn't want him to stop, he wanted him inside her.

Usually, she enjoyed foreplay, but given her limited mobility and the fact that she wouldn't be able to reciprocate in equal measure (and also that she craved to be filled by him) she tugged at his hair, commanding him to come up.

"I need you in me..." she pulled him close and kissed him, tasting herself on his lips, "Now... please..."

Niles could simply nod and comply with her wishes. Just as he was about to enter her, however, a pesky thought came to surface.

"We need protection," Niles murmured, trailing kisses along her neck. He loved her, there was no doubt about that, but they weren't ready for a baby right then. God knows she wasn't… and she'd rather not make the same mistake twice.

Not to get her wrong, Amelia was the most precious and wonderful thing in her life and she wouldn't change her for the world, but she'd rather not go through a very much unplanned pregnancy… _again_. The next time she had children (if there was one) she wanted it to be planned.

"I am on the pill," she replied, raking her nails against his back.

"Are you sure about it?" he panted, his body quivering with excitement and the need to be in her.

"Quite sure," she kissed him. "Now, please, I need you in me..."

And without any further hesitation, he complied with her one and only wish.

They muffled their gasps and groans of pleasure by pressing their lips together once more, and Niles took great care in moving slowly inside her, so as not to disturb her leg or her ribs. The pleasure began to build slowly and surely, his thrusts rhythmic and long. C.C. dug her nails into his back, moaning softly.

"Oh, God, Niles..." she let out, panting as he left her only to enter her again slightly harder, "You feel so _good_...!"

"So do you," he managed to reply with a grunt, not allowing his pleasure to overtake him before hers had overcome her.

But he did increase the pace of his thrust, just a little to make her moan a little harder.

The sound of him pleasuring her, even if it was quiet for the sake of a sleeping Amelia next door, was music to his ears. The feeling of her nails digging into his flesh, holding his upper half close to her as his lower half moved in and out of her, was the sweetest mixture of pleasure and pain that he could imagine.

Well, maybe the sweetest pain. The sweetest pleasure was definitely the feeling of being inside her, moving in and out of her rhythmically and feeling her walls clenching with the building satisfaction...

Sweet and heartfelt declarations of love left their mouths in the form of whispers, which were interspersed with their grunts and moans of pleasure. They could only hold each other close as they slowly dragged each other to the edge. The intensity of the moment was the result of years of unfulfilled fantasies; years of loneliness and pain and sorrow...

Their desire was fuelled by a primal need to be together after so much heartbreak, and the need to show each other the extent of their love – to show their loved one the desire they held for them. Neither of them could believe they'd waited so long to do this, and they felt like fools...

Fools that had lost precious time fighting a meaningless war.

A war that had resulted in both of them being declared losers. Actually, this was probably their first victory in decades.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips. She was almost there... a few more thrusts and she'd be a goner.

"So do I..." he replied, fully aware that she was on the brink, "With all my heart."

He fastened his pace just a little, and finally, her walls began to spasm and quiver as she fell over the edge, moaning his name. Perhaps it was the beauty of seeing and feeling her orgasm, but hers triggered his, and he soon joined her, moaning her name as he emptied himself inside her.

He couldn't help but press their lower bodies together – _hard_. The need to be near had reached its zenith, and so he held her close and kissed her as they rode the waves of their joint orgasms. He was thankful to be sharing this intimate and fulfilling experience with her, and his only wish was that he never had to go a day without this woman by his side.

This was _it_...

 _She_ was _the one_.

This woman was the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

As they both recovered and started to catch their breath back, he rolled over and off her, nestling himself next to her. C.C. turned her head towards him, grinning all over her face.

"Wow," was all she could say. Well, she let it out with one, rough breath.

Niles huffed out a laugh, swallowing and taking in deeper breaths himself, "I know."

There was a small silence, in which C.C. stared at the ceiling. She could never, even in her wildest fantasies, have ever imagined it to be so good, so fulfilling... This really was what love felt like. And it made her realise what she wanted. Where she wanted them to go next.

"Well," she licked her lips, and reached out a hand to stroke his chest, feeling his heartbeat returning to normal, "I, uh...I can't possibly let you leave now that I know just exactly what kind of services are available to me..."

Niles chuckled, "That sounds like an invitation to move in to me, Babs..."

Her eyes travelled to where her hand was, scraping his skin lightly, "I guess it does, doesn't it?"

Another moment of quiet as she allowed him to take it in.

Was she...really _asking_...?

His eyes widened, and he grasped at her hand, "Are you...are you really asking me to-"

"It sure sounds like it, doesn't it?" she interrupted, now too excited by the look of delight on his features to think about any possible rejection. "You practically live here all the time anyw-"

Her words were cut off by him leaning over and planting one more, lingering kiss on her lips.

He answered as he pulled away, "I'd love to. I love your idea, and I love you."

"I love you, too," she beamed back at him, stretching as best she could so that he could hold her close as they got comfy. She stifled a yawn as she went.

"Someone's tired," Niles murmured amusedly. "Did I use up all of your energy?"

"I'm too tired to even argue, even if it does inflate your ego," C.C. cuddled into him as much as her casts would allow, closing her eyes. "I'll get you back in the morning."

"Deal. And then after breakfast, I'll talk with the Sheffields about this," Niles rested his head against hers, also closing his eyes and preparing to get some rest himself. He reached up and kissed her forehead once more. "Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight, lover."

The couple soon fell asleep, overcome by the most satisfying exhaustion.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter 7_**

Complete consciousness was eluding C.C. – or at least that's what it felt like as she slowly awoke from her slumber. It was as though a metaphorical vine had curled itself around her brain, and was encouraging her to stay asleep, wrapped in a safe, warm embrace.

The idea was tempting, but the former producer forced herself to open her eyes and fight the overwhelming need to sleep. After a night of passion, it hadn't surprised C.C. that they'd fallen asleep – it truly had been a wonderful, if incredibly tiring, experience – but it surprised her that she was the first to awoke.

Niles was lying by her side, seemingly deeply asleep. His factions were relaxed, his arms were still wrapped around her body and he was only half covered by the sheets.

God... _this_ was a wonderful way to wake up!

Carefully (both to not awake Niles and because she still had little possibility of movement due to the cast) she disentangled herself from Niles and sat up.

She was still naked from before, and she basked in the feeling of freedom that being able to be that way and not needing to worry about Amelia seeing her produced. The girl was asleep, so she still had some time to relax and stay in bed with Niles before he had to go and wake her up.

She looked down at her body, and for the first time in years she actually smiled. Those stretch marks – a residue of the pregnancy that had both changed and given meaning to her life – were no longer a concern, and she was thankful. Niles had cherished and venerated her body, and she was embracing things she had once considered flaws (such as the marks or the slight widening of her hips).

She sometimes struggled to believe just how much her body had changed due to the pregnancy... To be honest, it felt like it was yesterday when her stomach was the size of a watermelon!

C.C. smiled to herself; she remembered her pregnancy fondly. The feeling of Amelia kicking her or moving inside her still had a certain magic...

Absentmindedly rubbing her stomach, C.C. scrambled over for the small album inside her night table's drawer.

Back when she was 8 months pregnant, she had actually agreed to make an artistic photoshoot of her pregnancy. It had all been an idea of Noel's boyfriend, Edward, whose sister was a professional photographer.

She remembered she had expressed a desire to have pretty pictures to remember her pregnancy with Amelia, so Edward had not only given a suggestion she had loved, but he had also kindly put her in touch with his sister. The photos that resulted from this shooting, were precious to her, but she had never shown them to anyone. They were quite intimate and special, so she only wanted to share them with only a special person.

Besides, she was half-naked in some of them.

She rested her back against the mound of pillows that were propped against the headboard and began to browse the album. Suddenly, she was distracted by Niles shifting awake. She didn't close the album or hide it, but rather she smiled down at the man and ran her free hand through his hair.

"Hey there," he rasped.

"Hey there yourself," she tried to bend down and give him a kiss, but her ribs didn't seem to agree.

Noticing she had winced, the butler quickly sat up and gave her a kiss himself. He didn't want her to move if it hurt her. He rested his forehead against hers as they pulled away, but his attention was then grabbed by the leather bound album C.C. had in her hands.

Almost as if sensing he had noticed the album, she chuckled and placed it on his lap.

"You yenta!" the woman teased.

"What is it?" he asked.

C.C. merely opened it to explain herself. And when she did so, they came across with a breath-taking picture.

It was a black-and-white picture depicting a heavily pregnant C.C.. It was a beautiful and artistic shot – C.C.'s back was partially facing the camera, and only part of her face and her bump were illuminated. As her body was against the light, the rest of her very pregnant body was distinguishable only as a black silhouette. One of her arms were covering her breasts while the other lay by her side; the hand that was attached to it was resting on the side of her stomach.

Niles stared at the picture in awe. She was absolutely gorgeous! He turned the pages, studying each picture he came across carefully, his eyes tracing every curve, and his fingers gently brushing over her stomach...

The photographer had done a beautiful job, but how could they not when the subject was so stunning?

C.C. watched Niles in fascination. She had wondered how he would react to the pictures, fearing maybe he wouldn't like them for some reason. But of course she had been proved wrong, and she was delighted for it. The way he'd worshipped and adored her body earlier that day should have told her so.

"You like them?" she asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear so it was out of her eyes.

"I love them!" Niles replied, a smile lighting up his features as he looked between her and the photographs. "You look absolutely wonderful!"

C.C. didn't know about that – she had been huge – but she was grateful for the compliment, and for the fact that Niles loved her no matter what she looked like. It certainly had taken a special someone. She wanted to try and kiss him again, but of course her ribs wouldn't stand for her leaning over, so she made do by taking his hand and entwining their fingers.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "I was...kind of wondering what you'd think, seeing me do a shoot like this..."

Niles gave a half-smirk, "You think I'd be scornful, considering this means another method of seeing you at least partially naked?"

C.C. pretended to look unimpressed, "You know what I'm getting at. These photos are extremely personal, and I thought maybe to another person I'd look..."

She trailed off, not completely sure of how to finish her sentence.

Niles sighed, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Well, you know my opinion now; I think the photos are brilliant. As is your body, both during your pregnancy and after."

C.C. blushed. It was unlike her, of course, but she couldn't help it. She'd become incredibly self-conscious since her pregnancy, but Niles' words had helped her to begin overcoming the fear of not being desirable.

Well... after last night she knew for a fact that he found her anything but undesirable. If the way he'd touched and loved her were anything to go by, she needn't worry about the changes in her body anymore.

"God... you are so corny!" she eventually said, swatting at his arm. She couldn't help it – the whole dealing with her feelings issue was still a bit difficulty for her, while zingers were almost a second nature to them.

"Only for you, my love," he placed a kiss on her cheek, making her smile. He knew she was touched by his words, but at the same time she still struggled to show it. C.C. was, by nature, an abrasive woman, and dealing with feelings (or expressing them) was still hard for her.

He wasn't going to pressure her, either. He was just fine with the pace she had chosen for their relationship. She called the shots, and he had no problem with this.

And on that matter, they still had to discuss the whole issue of him moving in!

He wouldn't lie – he was absolutely thrilled by the prospect of moving in with her, but before doing so they needed to address important details such as the Sheffields or what were their expectations on the matter.

"While we're on the subject of me being and doing things for you," he began. "Have you given any more thought to my suggestion about telling the Sheffields?"

C.C. pulled a face. She had given it some thought, and she wasn't sure how it was going to go. She couldn't fully see them taking it well, that was for sure. Maxwell had his routine and Niles incorporated a large part of that.

She wasn't sure what her former business associate would do.

But she also supposed the only way to know would be to take the chance and find out.

"Some," she replied. "I think we should tell them as soon as possible, for one thing."

"I quite agree," Niles nodded along.

"And maybe set a date for you to actually officially move in," she continued. "That way they know it's coming, and Amelia and I can prepare. And no one will feel rushed by it because everyone will know it's on its way."

"Sounds fair to me," Niles assented. "And what do you think if I move in next week? More specifically, on your birthday – seeing as I was planning on taking the day off to celebrate it with you, I could use it to start moving my things from the Sheffield mansion to yours."

"Ours," C.C. corrected him, entwining their fingers together and giving him a warm smile. "And that sounds like a plan! We only need to tell the Sheffields and Amelia. Although I think we should tell her after we tell the Sheffields, in case something goes wrong."

Niles nodded again, his chest still feeling warm due to her referring to her home as theirs. It might sound stupid, but it was the first time in his life that Niles felt like he truly and really belonged somewhere – and not as just a member of the staff, but actually as a member of the family.

He knew it was too soon to say it aloud, but he finally felt at home.

"Alright... that leaves the Sheffields. Do you want me to call them?"

"Well... I don't know! Maybe we should have this conversation in person," C.C. said. "Maybe we could call them to put them abreast but invite them over to talk about you moving out."

That certainly sounded like a better idea. They both suspected Maxwell wouldn't exactly like him going – after all, he had only allowed Niles some time off to take care of C.C. after Fran intervened – so it would be best if they gave him some times to begin digesting the news before they actually discussed the details of Niles' new living arrangements with him.

"Good idea..." Niles then stretched over towards his bedside table and took the handset in his hand.

He dialled in the familiar number, and waited for someone to pick up.

Eventually, a nasal voice greeted him, "Hello?"

"Mrs Sheffield?"

"Oh, hi, Niles!" Fran sounded brighter when she realised who she was speaking to. "How are things?"

"Things are just fine, thank you," Niles replied, turning to give C.C. an encouraging smile. "In fact, they are a little better than fine-"

"You're getting married!" the former nanny interrupted, sounding delighted before he could stop her. "Oy, it's going to be so beautiful! You gotta let me help-"

"Miss Fine!" Niles raised his voice, halting his friend in her tracks. "We're not. That's a step for the future, still. We were...talking about something else – a step in that direction, but not quite so serious. We were wondering if...perhaps, you and Mr Sheffield would like to come over and discuss the possibility of me moving in here permanently?"

He held his breath as he waited for her answer. It was quite possibly better that he'd broken this news to Fran instead of Maxwell, but he was still nervous about what she would say.

"So... you aren't coming back ta the mansion?" Fran said softly, almost as if she herself was still trying to comprehend the news.

"Indeed," Niles replied evenly, trying not to let his nervousness show.

"And you won't be comin' back because you will be livin' with Miss Babcock...?" Fran queried once again.

"That's correct, Mrs Sheffield."

Again there was silence between the two friends. It made him wonder what exactly was going on inside Fran's head, but the sudden, excited yelp coming from the other end told him everything he needed to know.

"Oy I am so happy for you two!" the former nanny exclaimed. Niles could almost see her bouncing in excitement. "Congratulations, Scarecrow!"

Well... at least Fran was on their side. It was a blessing – they'd need all the support if they wanted Maxwell to accept their decision. Not that his opinion would change it, of course, but they'd rather have his support in this new stage of their relationship (not to mention Niles did want to keep his job).

"Thank you, Mrs Sheffield," the butler said, beginning to smile. "Would you like to come over for breakfast? You can bring Miss Eve and Master Jonah, if you want."

"Gosh, yes!" Fran squealed. "Ya don't know just how much we miss your homemade breakfasts! Especially since we've taken to order in ever since you've been gone."

Of course, no one in the house had properly cooked since he'd been gone. None of them really knew how. He hoped that his moving permanently would be an incentive for them to learn. But he couldn't begrudge them one more breakfast. it was the least they deserved, and they were their friends...

"Well, come on over, then," he smiled. "I'll make you all a nice breakfast, just like old times."

"That's great, sweetie," he knew Fran would be smiling back. "I'll get the kids up, and talk to Maxwell, and we'll be over in no time, okay? Give you kids time to get dressed."

"Of course," he said. "We'll see you soon, then."

"That you will," Fran seemed to have turned away from the phone briefly, because her voice got further away, but then she came back. "See you soon, Niles!"

And so, the line went dead, leaving Niles with a feeling that things wouldn't be as easy as he'd hoped they'd be.

"Are they coming over?" C.C. asked, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his middle.

"Yes. We are having breakfast with them," Niles said, kicking the duvet aside and jumping out of bed. "I have to get out meal started now, but I'll help you get dressed and wake Amelia up first."

C.C.'s mobility was still reduced, so she truly depended on Niles for basic tasks such as getting dressed or moving from room to room. Not to get her wrong, she could get dressed on her own, but she needed someone to hand her the clothes from the closet or help her slip her trousers or sweatpants on.

"Okay," she said, pulling him down for a kiss before he walked into their closet. He quickly got dressed before picking out and outfit for C.C. – a light-blue shirt, a white, woollen sweater and black yoga pants (which were one of the few garments she could use seeing while having a cast on her leg).

After he'd finished helping C.C. with her clothes, Niles dropped a kiss on her forehead and took off for Amelia's room. Seeing as it was early in the morning, it didn't surprise him when he found her still sound asleep underneath the covers of her bed, and with her toy monkey safely held in her arms.

"Amelia?" he murmured, gingerly moving towards her bed. "Amelia?"

"Mm?" the little girl mumbled in her state of half-sleep, and rolled over, hugging her monkey.

"Amelia," Niles reached out a hand and shook the covers lightly. "Mia, sweetheart, it's time to wake up..."

"Mm..." Amelia opened her eyes and peered up at him. "What's going on...? Is it morning?"

"Yes, sweetheart," he replied, seating himself on the edge of her mattress. "And Jonah and Eve are coming over with their parents, for breakfast."

That made Amelia's eyes open more, and she pulled herself upright, "Really?!"

"Yes indeed they are," Niles couldn't help but grin at the little girl's enthusiasm when her friends were mentioned. "So we have to get up and get ready for them! Can't be seen lazing around in our pyjamas when guests are coming, now can we?"

Amelia giggled, leaving her monkey on her pillow, "No..."

She hopped out of bed, and Niles began to help her get dressed.

Just as he'd done for her mother, Niles helped the girl choose the warmest and most stylish clothes that could be found in her closet. That particular winter had been colder than usual, and Niles wanted to make sure that Amelia didn't catch a cold. Winter break was only a week away, and he wanted the little girl to be able to enjoy it!

"There, all set," Niles said as he finished tying Amelia's shoelaces. "Now, do you want to go say hi to Mommy while I cook breakfast?"

"Sure! But can I help you with breakfast, too?" the girl asked as both she and Niles walked out of her room and into the hallway.

"Of course, sweetheart," Niles smiled down at her. "Meet you in the kitchen, then?"

"Mh-hm," Amelia hugged his legs and skipped to her Mommy's room.

Meanwhile, Niles climbed down the stairs and got breakfast started. Usually, on Saturdays he prepared some hotcakes for Amelia and scrambled eggs and toast for him and C.C., but seeing as the Sheffields were coming he prepared a wider selection of dishes.

Pancakes, hotcakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, toast... dish after dish was swiftly prepared and carefully laid on the kitchen counter. When Amelia finally arrived, she helped Niles set the table and prepare some coffee, tea and orange juice for them and their guests.

Once everything was ready, both Niles and Amelia gave their work a once over and nodded proudly.

"I think we are done here," he said. "Don't you think?"

"Yup! Now we need to help Mommy down so she can see it, too!" Amelia replied, hugging Niles' legs once again.

Niles chuckled, and patted her on the head, "Alright, then. We'll go and bring her down here. But you have to make sure you stand well back when I'm carrying her downstairs, alright?"

"Why?" the little girl asked curiously as they began to move back upstairs.

"So that no one trips, or falls and hurts themselves," the butler explained. "I don't want to drop your Mommy. Somehow, I don't think she'd like that very much."

Amelia giggled, "Yeah, she'd be real mad!"

"You can say that again, sweetie!" came a voice not too far from the top of the stairs.

Niles couldn't help but smirk. He should have known she'd be listening in. They made it to the room, and Niles rounded the side of the bed to slip his arms under C.C. and lifted her up, holding her close so she could wind her arms around his neck for support.

"You still look like a Disney princess, Mommy!" Amelia was nearly jumping up and down in her delight.

C.C. grinned over at her daughter, "Even with this big old thing in the way?"

"The cast is of no importance whatsoever," Niles cut in.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about the cast," there was a spark of mischief in C.C.'s eyes. "I meant the big old thing that's carrying me."

"Oh, so that's what I am, eh?" Niles' eyes had a playful glint in them, too.

Suddenly, Niles pretended to let go of C.C., who tightened her grip on him and yelped. Of course he would have never let her go, but scaring her... that was another story entirely.

" _Ups_ ," he said with feigned innocence. "Sorry, my joints aren't what they once were."

C.C. glared at him and swatted at the back of his head, making Amelia chuckle (and Niles had to stifle a laugh, too).

"Asshole," C.C. hissed as Niles began carrying her out of the room.

"But you wouldn't have me any other way!" Niles retorted, and pecked her cheek.

C.C. rolled her eyes but said nothing. Honestly, the amused half-smile she was trying to suppress said it all. Once they got to the first floor, Amelia rushed to the living-room and pushed C.C.'s wheelchair towards where she and Niles awaited. The butler then gently lowered C.C. into it and pushed the chair to the table, where her usual cup of coffee awaited.

Almost as if on cue, there was a knock on the door – the Sheffields had arrived.

"They are here!" Amelia cried out, skipping towards the door with Niles hot on her heels.

And indeed, behind the door awaited the Sheffield twins, Fran and Maxwell. The latter however, had a rather strange look on his face. Almost as if he was trying to hide his discontent.

"Hey guys!" Mia exclaimed as she hugged Jonah and Eve. "Hi Mr and Mrs Sheffield!"

"Hey there, Mia!" Fran gave the little girl a hug as well as she stepped into the house. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you," Amelia released Fran, to wander back over to Niles and take his hand. "I helped make breakfast this morning!"

"That's great!" Fran beamed down at the little ones joyfully, before noticing her husband didn't appear to have the same amount of enthusiasm as everyone else. She discreetly elbowed him in the side. "Isn't it great that Mia helped Niles make breakfast today, honey?"

The nudge from his wife brought Maxwell to the present, it seemed, and he plastered a more convincing smile to his face.

"It is indeed!" he replied, closing the door behind them. "So, how about we go and see C.C., and allow the young ones to get their food, hmm?"

Something in his tone definitely didn't sound right, and Niles was starting to worry.

But he couldn't show it in front of the children, and they did all need to go and grab their food.

"That sounds like a rather good idea to me," he agreed, and the little party turned to head into the kitchen, the children rushing ahead as Amelia told them pancakes were available.

After the twins had greeted C.C. with a customary hug, Niles prepared their plates and took them to the coffee table in the living room, right in front of the TV, which was already on. He then brought their drinks and helped them settle comfortably so they could have breakfast while watching cartoons.

Part of him didn't really want to go back to the kitchen – judging by Maxwell's mood, this wasn't going to be an easy conversation – but he knew he just had to suck it up and do it. And indeed, the silence that reigned in the kitchen was stifling and uncomfortable, but Niles made his best to try and appear he wasn't worried. He poured cups of tea for both he and Maxwell and some coffee for C.C. and Fran.

"Well, dig in!" Niles exclaimed as he sat on the chair next to C.C.'s.

Fran immediately followed the butler's suggestion, but Maxwell didn't. He still seemed upset, and it showed.

"So… you wanted to discuss somethin' with us?" Fran said as she greased her toast with butter. "Somethin' about you movin' out?"

C.C. gulped – Maxwell's displeased expression only worsened. This truly wasn't going to be an easy conversation... "Yes... indeed. We... well, we wanted to tell you that Niles is moving with me... permanently."

Both Niles and C.C. then held their breath, waiting for the fallout. She actually felt Niles' squeezing her thigh from underneath the table in an attempt to soothe her nerves. By this stage both of them knew Maxwell wasn't happy about it, but his feelings about it weren't going to change their plans.

They'd rather have his support, that's all...

"And what brought about this idea, exactly?" Maxwell asked, staring down at his untouched plate and cup of tea. "I mean, I am well aware of how a romantic relationship works, but the two of you haven't exactly been together for long."

C.C. replaced the coffee she'd been sipping at on the table, "We feel like we've been together long enough to make that decision, Maxwell. And besides, it's not like we've only just met!"

They had known each other for decades before deciding that they should be together. Why was he treating it like they were rushing into anything?

"No, but I can suspect that you haven't really and properly talked about it, either," Maxwell continued, finally looking up at them. "How much of it have you actually taken into consideration? Schedules, timing, what Amelia thinks about all of this?"

That felt a bit like a slap in the face, and it hurt all the more coming from their friend.

She knew he'd probably take it badly, but this was something else!

"Well, we planned on telling Amelia after we'd spoken with you, bus so far she's been perfectly happy for Niles living with us, actually," C.C. replied, staring daggers at Maxwell. "And we've given it all the thought it requires, considering it's basically been the three of us for some time now. Of course, I am aware that that presents an issue for you, seeing as it will mean Niles will be here in the mornings, instead of at the mansion."

Maxwell wouldn't admit it, but C.C. had almost hit the nail right on its head. It wasn't that he didn't want Niles to move out of the mansion just because of the nuisance that not having him in their home would cause, but rather because of the feeling of being... _abandoned_?... that his departure caused in him.

Back when C.C. had first gone away, it hadn't been easy for Maxwell to adapt to one of his closest friends being gone for an indefinite time. Rationally, he knew Niles wasn't really going, but in a sense he just couldn't help the fear that he'd end up abandon them in the end.

Part of him knew he should feel happy for his friends, but at the same time he was struggling to come to terms with this.

"Max, honey, I think it's a wonderful idea," Fran intervened, giving her husband a look. "And we'll just have ta get used to havin' breakfast a little later, that's all."

"Oh _, really_?" he scoffed. "First it was having to tolerate a few weeks without him while C.C. got better and now he is leaving for good! How long will it take for us to have to get used to not have him at all, huh?"

The other three people gaped at Maxwell. Neither of them could believe how hateful he was being, and they couldn't understand it...

Why was he so angry?

Did he blame C.C. for this? And if so, why? It wasn't like Niles was abandoning them for good!

"Maxwell, honey..." Fran was almost completely speechless at her husband's rudeness.

"Fran, I know what I'm doing," Maxwell said sternly, never taking his eyes from the blonde couple.

"I'm not totally convinced you do, Maxwell," C.C. told him, keeping her voice level despite the shock of having a friend talk about her and Niles that way. "Why are you so dead-set against this happening? Do you think I'm suddenly going to expect Niles to stay here all the time, and never go to yours, even though we're all friends, and even though he works there?"

"You could just as easily find him another job!" Maxwell snapped. "And you have your own money, why even bother doing that if he can be here?"

He seemed to be lashing out. Like a wounded animal. Like he felt threatened; Niles could almost sense the dread his employer felt about something in relation to this, in relation to his leaving.

"Can I cut in here? I feel like I should say something," the butler piped up, abandoning the cutlery he'd been holding since the start of the conversation. "Mr Sheffield, I am not planning on going anywhere, if that's what you're worried about."

"How can I know that for sure when C.C. went away without telling anyone at all and didn't come back for six years?!" Maxwell finally blurted out.

So _that_ was it...

His dread stemmed from the fear of his family – because, Niles knew, Maxwell considered him and C.C. part of the family – falling apart. He had seen his friend struggle during the years C.C. had been gone, but what he didn't understand was that now that she was back neither of them would ever leave again.

C.C. had left because she'd been in a bad place, not because she had grown bored or because she had stopped thinking about the Sheffields as her affections. Maxwell had nothing to fear, and it was up to them to make him see this.

"Mr Sheffield..." Niles started.

"Niles," C.C. interrupted him, grasping his hand and squeezing it. "I think I should speak seeing as I was the one to leave in the first place."

Niles grimaced, but didn't argue. He knew that this was something C.C. and Maxwell had to resolve.

"Fine..." she turned her head to Maxwell and heaved a sigh, "Maxwell, you know as well as I do why I left all those years ago."

The British producer looked away and crossed his arms over his chest. His body language clearly showed he was trying to protect himself, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to voice his deepest fears – the fear of losing his friends; his family...

"Yes I do," he retorted in a clipped voice. "But I never understood why you didn't come back. We could have helped you! Been there!"

"But _I_ wasn't ready," C.C. cut him off. "I was pregnant and scared and I felt the weight of the world was on my shoulders! Can you, for a second, imagine how being a single mother felt like?" she made a pause to sip a bit of coffee so as to relieve her dry throat. "Or my fear of being judged? Because even one of the people who was supposed to love me unconditionally had deserted me! My own mother said that I was dead to her and that I was a disgrace to the Babcock name..." C.C. could feel Niles' tightening his grip on her hand. "I was scared... and that's why I didn't come back."

Maxwell's features softened some, but not enough for C.C. to feel comfortable with letting the issue go.

"I was afraid that the few people I had left would abandon me, too," she continued. "And that's why I didn't come back. I felt I was holding back some sort of rejection – if I wasn't there, then no one could hurt me. But none of you were going to hurt me. You all took me back, welcomed me with open arms. And I'd be damned to let that slip away from me again, Maxwell. You both said about how much you guys considered me family, well, I consider you family, too! And the last thing I want in the world is to break my family apart."

She was on the verge of tears by this stage, and Niles clutched her hand tightly, stroking her knuckles to provide as much comfort as he could while she was in her chair. A hug from this angle, while it would have been very welcome indeed, wasn't really possible.

Niles felt that this was his moment to say his piece.

"We can both confidently state, sir, that the last thing either of us intend to do is leave any of you," he said, sure to look his employer in the face as he did. "We are a family, all together, and that will never change. Just like me going to the mansion every day won't change. I will still be your loyal servant, even if I do have more people to be loyal to these days."

Maxwell had almost completely softened by this stage, "So… you're not going anywhere?"

C.C. felt like swatting him for even asking after everything that had just been said, and would have done, if it hadn't been for her being in the chair, and if Fran hadn't spoken up first.

"Honey, they just said they're not leavin'! Would ya perhaps give 'em some credit?" she muttered to him. "They're our family, and they just promised they're not goin' anywhere. We should believe them!"

"Right... of course, of course..." Maxwell mumbled, his anger slowly fading away.

"Besides," Fran added, placing her hands on her sides. "Why did ya think he'd leave?! He is only movin' out! Oy, you sound like my mother when I told her Danny had dumped me..."

Maxwell shrugged, probably realising just how stupid his fears sounded when said aloud and with a clear mind. "I'm sorry, honey, I guess I just... uh..."

"Overreacted?" Niles offered.

"Yeah... _that_ ," Maxwell finally took a sip of his now lukewarm tea. "But when you put it that way, yes I think it's wonderful that you two move in together! Congratulations!"

Both Niles and C.C. forced themselves not to roll their eyes. Maxwell was trying to make it up to them after having almost ruined a perfectly good morning, so they could try as well.

"Thank you, Maxwell," C.C. said. "And now that we've sorted this out, we have to discuss the technical aspects of Niles moving out. Like when it's going to happen."

"We thought about me moving in on C.C.'s birthday next week," Niles cut in. "Is it alright to you?"

Maxwell almost seemed to bail on the idea again after hearing the date would be so close, but one look from Fran was enough to keep him smiling.

"Yes, yes, absolutely!" he drank more of his tea, which was probably almost like a punishment with how it would have tasted by that stage, but it seemed to keep him busy. "You can bring things with you little by little over the next few days, and you'll be all set by the actual date. I mean, it's really only fair to leave the actual day open, isn't it?"

That idea didn't sound too bad to Niles or C.C., actually. And it seemed like Maxwell was making himself adjust to the plan, which they were grateful for. And so they were agreed. To break any remaining tension, Fran suggested that they actually tuck into the breakfast that had been prepared for them, before that got cold as well.

All the adults around the table were happy to do that, if simply for the opportunity to talk about something else after a stressful confrontation. They were relieved it was resolved, though. No one could imagine leaving anyone else sat around that table, alone, and without anyone to keep them as a family member or a friend.

They were too close for that, and nothing – especially not fear – was going to keep them apart.

* * *

 **AN: Hey there! Sorry for the long wait :/ it's just college and work have kept us busy these past days! It's been hectic...**

 **But here we are, at last! We hope you liked this new chapter and, as usual, we would adore to read your comments!**

 **H &L**


	9. Chapter 9

**_Chapter 8_**

"Amelia, are you ready to go?" Niles called as he walked the short distance to the little girl's room. They were already running late for the Sheffield's Christmas lunch, and he'd rather get going as soon as possible. He only thanked God that the Sheffield house was relatively near C.C.'s – pardon me, _their_ house.

He couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth whenever he thought about the fact that this was now officially his home with C.C. and Amelia. It had been exactly two weeks since he had moved in, but he'd only finished bringing his things over three days ago. Granted, December had been rather hectic – in the span of just two weeks, he'd moved in, they'd celebrated C.C.'s birthday, Amelia's winter break had begun and C.C.'s plaster had been removed, but he couldn't be happier about it. He'd been spending a lot of time with Amelia now that she needn't go to school; he'd bring her with him to the Sheffield mansion during his work hours, where she could spend some time with her friends while giving C.C. some free time to start working again (Stewart had insisted that she refrained from working while she was in bed rest).

He sometimes couldn't believe just how lucky he was – he lived in a beautiful house, with a gorgeous woman and a little girl that he loved with all his heart. Said little girl had been delighted when she'd been told that Niles was staying, as she'd put it, " _forever and ever_ " and she'd even helped him movie his things the mansion. They'd actually taken Maxwell's advice and had taken their time to move Niles' stuff from one mansion to the other – they weren't in a rush, not to mention that most of Niles possessions were already in C.C.'s mansion. Instead, they'd chosen to spend their time together planning C.C.'s birthday.

The blonde woman had been absolutely delighted with the little celebration at home – seeing as she'd still had her cast on, Niles and Amelia had organised a small reunion in their house. It had been just them, the Sheffields and C.C.'s parents, but it had been the best birthday C.C.'d had in years! She actually teared up when she opened Nile's and Amelia's gifts – the necklace had become C.C.'s favourite piece of jewellery, and she carried around the small engraved key ring Niles had bought her.

And speaking of gifts, he'd recently bought her a very special Christmas gift. He only hoped that she'd like it. He also hoped that, considering they were spending the day with the Sheffields and Fran had a tendency to become... _overexcited_...in a matter of seconds, he would be able to explain the meaning behind it without any delay, and therefore avoid any misunderstandings about what he was trying to communicate.

"Yeah!" Amelia rushed from her room, carrying her boots in her arms. "Can you help me put these on, please?"

"Of course," he smiled, reached for her hand, and moved towards the stairs. "Let's put them on by the door – your Mommy's all ready to go and she's waiting for us slowpokes to catch up!"

Amelia giggled, "Okay."

C.C. grinned at them as they made their way down the stairs, and she fetched her daughter's coat from its hook.

"Come on, you two," she called out teasingly. "It'll be the New Year by the time you're ready to go, at this stage!"

Niles gave her a feigned unimpressed look, "We're nearly ready. I don't know what you're hurrying for, anyway – everyone knows to comply with Santa's wishes and gift you coal."

C.C., noticing that Amelia was preoccupied with sitting down on the last stair with her boots, quirked an eyebrow at him and grinned.

"Are you suggesting I've been naughty?"

Niles, catching her tone, flushed red, and immediately shut up to kneel down and help Amelia with her boots. He knew Amelia didn't understand the implications behind her mother's words, but by God, the woman had truly and really been naughty! Since the cast had come off, their sexual life had become... _adventurous_... to say the least. Of course her leg was still a bit weak – she hadn't used it in over a month, after all! – but it hadn't prevented her from becoming more active and daring in their lovemaking.

He wasn't about to complain, either, but he'd rather not have those sinful images of their frequent nights of passion dancing in his head when Amelia was around.

"Well... seeing as you are the embodiment of evil, I'd say your behaviour has been the opposite of exemplary! Unlike Mia's," Niles lifted the little girl in his arms and both child and butler smiled at each other.

"I've been a good girl. Haven't I, Mommy?" Amelia asked, wrapping her arms around Niles' neck.

"You've been an excellently behaved little girl, sweetie," C.C. said, stroking Amelia's head. "And I am sure Santa knows!"

Both Niles and C.C. smiled to themselves. They had bought Amelia an incredible amount of gifts, all of which were waiting at the Sheffield's mansion. They'd agreed to unwrap their presents there, so all of them (including B.B.'s and Stewart's) were already tucked underneath the enormous Christmas tree at the Sheffield mansion.

They knew it would be a wonderful Christmas – not because of the amount of gifts, but rather because this was the first Christmas they'd be spending together.

"Exactly," Niles said, wrapping his free arm around C.C.'s waist. "But we must get going! We wouldn't want to keep the Sheffield waiting, now would we?"

"Not at all," C.C. held up Amelia's coat for the girl to put her arms in. "Now for one final touch, and the pair of you are gonna have to help me, here. I know you're practically inseparable, so this is going to require a little bit of manoeuvring if everyone wants to stay exactly where they are for the time being."

Eventually, they worked out a system where Amelia could stay in Niles' arms as C.C. slipped the coat around her daughter, and then wrapped a scarf around her neck. It would be more than chilly outside, and the last thing she wanted was her little girl catching cold!

After that was taken care of, it was time to leave – they made their way from their own home, through the streets of New York. Just as C.C. had suspected it would be, it was bitterly cold, patches of snow littering the ground here and there.

Amelia remained in Niles' arm for the entire journey, and he wrapped the other around C.C.'s waist as they walked. They really did look like a family...a proper family. And they were going to spend the holiday with friends who were like family, too.

C.C. didn't think she'd ever felt this happy on a holiday. She had everything she wanted in life – a good job that she enjoyed, an adorable little girl, good friends, and the man she loved with all of her heart.

Not to mention, she couldn't actually wait to see what all the gifts were going to be!

She hoped Niles liked his from her, she'd spent so long picking it out...

Well... maybe _picking_ wasn't the right word to use – it was more like she'd spent a lot of time trying to decide what to give him. But in the end, the answer had come, and it had always been right in front of her nose. She'd been looking for something material to represent just how much she loved and valued him, but nothing had really called her attention – that was until she'd come with her wonderful idea.

She wasn't going to gift him a trifle that would eventually be forgotten. No, she'd wanted something meaningful, and what was more meaningful than giving him joint tenancy of her mansion? In that way, by making him co-owner of her house, she'd truly and really gift him a home. _Their_ very own happy home.

She couldn't wait to see his reaction! And she could only hope it was a good one.

Well, it wouldn't be long until she saw it, C.C. thought as Niles allowed Amelia to ring the bell. They'd agreed they'd open the gifts first so as to avoid facing the perilous task of keeping three anxious little children away from the pile of gifts during a long lunch.

Moment later, they heard the rushed clicking of heels coming from within the mansion, and the door was soon opened by a beaming Fran, who was wearing possibly the ugliest Christmas sweater they'd ever seen.

"Hey there! Ya finally arrived!" Fran exclaimed as she gave them way to enter the mansion and finally take refuge from the bitter cold that reigned in the streets of the Big Apple. "We were about ta call, 'cause we thought somethin' had happened ta ya!"

"Well, there was no need for that," Niles released Amelia from the hold he still had on her to set her on the floor.

"We just had a little setback, that was all," C.C. joined in, as Niles, now with both arms free, turned to take her coat.

"Well, better a little setback than cancelling entirely, I guess," Fran beamed as her own two children raced down the stairs to come and greet Mia. "And here's a fine little party! You guys all set to get your presents?"

"Yeah!" came three eager voices in return, the adults unable to do anything but smile at how excited they all were.

Of course they would be, though. And they deserved to be. They had all been good that year.

"Alright, then, that's what I like to hear!" Fran grinned, and began to usher the children into the living area, past the tree where the presents waited. "If everyone takes a seat in the living room, we can start handin' out the presents!"

The children cheered, dashing eagerly into the living room to find an available seat. Niles and C.C. walked in leisurely behind them, happy to watch them, but at the same time feeling oddly excited themselves at the prospect of learning what the other had gifted them that year.

It was their first Christmas as a couple, so their gifts were obviously going to be meaningful, regardless of what they were. Of course neither of them knew just how meaningful their chosen gifts really were, but they were close to finding out!

They found Maxwell already waiting for them in the living room, a wide and pleased smile on his face; Amelia and Eve were sat on his lap, and he had given each little girl (and to Jonah as well, but he was sat on Maxwell's favourite armchair) a present. They hadn't opened them yet, and they were eager to do so.

The British producer had actually gotten used to Niles living with C.C., and he'd found that he didn't really mind – just as they had said in the kitchen that morning, they were a family and nothing was going to break them up.

He had a little surprise for C.C., but that could wait. It would be better for them to discuss it in private.

"Hurry up, Mommy! We want to open the presents!" Amelia squealed as Niles, C.C. and Fran sat themselves on the sofa.

"Yeah, we want to see what Santa brought us!" Eve piped up.

"Oh, don't be so impatient!" Niles jokingly chastised. "Let's make a deal – we are going to open the presents one at a time, and only after we've all opened our first present, we'll open the next one, okay?"

The three children readily agreed, much to the four adults' delight. Once everyone had a present in hand, Niles signalled for Eve to start unwrapping her first present. Eve and Jonah both received a play station (just what they had asked for!) whereas Amelia got the collection Barbie she'd begged for. It was incredibly endearing to see the children so happy, and after they'd watched them admire their gifts for a short while, Fran announced that Niles was the next person to unwrap his present.

The butler received a brand new iPod from Fran (which caused C.C. to snort out a laugh and loudly proclaim that he wouldn't be able to understand how to use it), a raise and a brand new Armani suit from Maxwell, and finally... an envelope?

He looked up at C.C., questioningly.

"Oh, please," the blonde said, rolling her eyes. "It's nothing bad! Just open it already!"

"Coming from you, one never knows," Niles teased as he opened the envelope and removed a small stack of papers from its insides.

It was almost comical to see his mouth hanging wide open only seconds after his eyes began browsing the document.

 _Half ownership of the house?_

It wasn't just hers anymore...if these papers were anything to go by, it was _theirs_.

C.C. bit down on her lip, grinning, "You like it?"

Like it? He _loved_ it! This was perhaps the biggest gesture anyone had ever made for him! By doing this, she was showing him that their relationship was equal – that it was strong, and permanent.

That they were building a home together, and a family.

He only hoped she'd realise the same things from his present, which she would be receiving at any moment. He wanted her to know that what they had was forever. But that sentiment would be expressed in due time. For the present, pulling her to him and planting a kiss on her lips was more than enough.

As Fran and Maxwell quietened the cries of "ew" and giggles from the young children, he pulled away, beaming all over his face.

"I love it," he told her. "I love it, and I love you. Thank you, C.C.!"

C.C. pulled him in for yet another kiss, and she held him close as she laughed with delight. She was glad that he'd liked it, but the surprises weren't finished there...

"The second part of your gift," she whispered to his ear as Fran and Max tried to shush the giggling children again. "Is in a little bag in my dressing room that reads "Victoria's Secret"."

Niles chuckled – it seemed that he'd have a merry Christmas indeed!

"I can't wait," he whispered back before they pulled away and he cupped her cheek.

She relished in his soft touch, and briefly closed her eyes as she covered his hand with hers. They were having one of _those moments_... those emotional moments. Of course they'd had a number of them since becoming a couple, but they seldom occurred in public. It showed just how important this one was.

"I love you," Niles repeated, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "But now it's time for your gift, Mr Grinch! Santa reconsidered his decision and brought you something."

He delved into his pocket for the little Tiffany & Co. box, chuckling when he heard C.C. muttering something about Santa loving her being naughty. And although he'd love to be "misbehaving" wuth her, he had more important matters to attend to.

He was quite happy with his purchase – a gorgeous band ring in 18 karat rose gold with round brilliant diamonds. It was simple yet elegant; perfect for C.C.! He couldn't wait to see C.C.'s reaction, but if her face as she stared to the box was anything to go by, he'd make a safe bet that she was adoring her gift, too.

"Niles...?" she nearly whispered as he opened the box. "What... what...?"

He had to speak up quickly, before the gaping stare that Fran was wearing became anything else.

There wasn't going to be any excited screaming. Not there.

"It's a promise ring," he explained. "A symbol of my love for you. A symbol of how it will never go away, and a promise that it will only get stronger as time goes on."

C.C. continued to stare at him, seemingly emotional and confused at the same time.

"Huh...?"

"It's me...saying that I don't want to be with anyone else but you, ever again," he continued, his voice sounding more serious. "You are the only one for me, and I want to prove it – this ring symbolises that I want to be with you, and that one day, well..."

He trailed off. He hadn't breached the subject of engagements or marriage yet. He didn't want to be prepared for it himself only to find out that she wasn't.

That was why this was the perfect in-between step, in his mind.

"Well, do you like it?" he asked, suddenly afraid that his rambling explanation had set her on edge.

C.C. stared between the ring and the man she'd just made co-owner of her home. Both of them had had the same idea – show the other that their relationship was strong and (hopefully) permanent – only it had been expressed differently. She'd given him a home, and he was giving her a physical representation of his love for her.

A physical proof that he wanted a future together.

She couldn't help it, a few tears simply sprang from her eyes and made their way down her cheeks as she nodded. Of course she liked it! She loved it! And she'd wear that ring until the day that, as he had implied, it was replaced with an engagement ring.

The prospect of a possible engagement was encouraging, to say the least – they hadn't touched the subject of marriage yet (mainly because neither of them was ready) but it was good to know it was a very real possibility. But for now she'd enjoy what she actually had – a gorgeous promise ring that Niles was holding in his hand, ready to slip it down her finger.

"I absolutely love it!" she choked out, holding out her left hand and using the other one to cup his cheek. It soon moved upwards, and she threaded her fingers through his hair before pulling his head towards hers and stamping a kiss on his lips.

"I love you," she whispered as the children giggled again. "And I love this ring!"

"Put it on!" Fran said exited, clapping gleefully.

"Yeah, Old Man! Put that ring on her finger already!" Maxwell interjected, smiling.

And so he did. Shaking, laughing, and crying all at once, he slipped the ring onto her finger.

It did look good there. And Niles thought it made a suitable, hopefully not-too lengthy substitute for the ring he really wanted to put on her finger. Not that he'd found one yet, he just knew that the sight of that ring would be the most beautiful one...

Well, not more beautiful than the sight of C.C. beaming at him, coming in for another kiss. She kissed him several times on the lips, hugged him hard and kissed him once more on the cheek, before cuddling against his side as the kids finally stopped reacting to the grown-ups' display of affection, and the rest of the presents were handed out by Fran and Maxwell.

Niles and C.C. watched contentedly as that happened, now happy to just sit back and watch everyone else admire their gifts and as the kids played with their toys. Lunch wouldn't be long, and they were hungry but not so much that they wanted to hurry things along.

It was Christmas, there was plenty of time for everything.

Even if it did mean certain people got to go home and admire the contents of little Victoria Secret bags sooner...

C.C. couldn't help but feel blessed – one year ago, she'd been at her mother's house, hugging Amelia as she counted the minutes left to go back home. She'd been surrounded by her mother's relatives, which she detested with a passion (and they detested her, too) and wondering if she'd ever have a peaceful and pleasant Christmas. A Christmas with a proper family. A Christmas where she and her child were surrounded by love...

And here she was, in the arms of the love of her life, with her daughter sat on her lap while Niles cut Amelia's turkey in small pieces so she could eat it. This was everything good in her life, and she prayed that this was only the first of many more beautiful Christmases together.

Niles was thinking along the same lines, too, and the loving look they shared told them everything they needed to know.

After a hefty three-course lunch, they retired to the living room, where the children watched cartoons as the adults chatted leisurely over cups of tea and coffee. Just when C.C. was about to suggest retiring for the day, Maxwell cleared his throat.

"C.C.?" he said. "Might I have a word with you? In private?"

This felt odd, and it disturbed her a little bit for some reason. C.C. supposed that she was still thinking about the argument that had happened in the kitchen the day they'd told the Sheffields Niles was moving in with her. But there couldn't really be much harm. He'd accepted their decision, after all.

But if it was something else, what could it be?

"Sure," she lifted herself from the sofa, disentangling herself from Niles' arms as she went.

The two former business associates made their way into the office. C.C. hadn't actually been in there, since coming back into the Sheffields' lives, and she was surprised that nothing had changed that much. The posters were still up on the walls – although there were a few new ones here and there – and the desk and Maxwell's chair were still there, as was her usual spot, the green loveseat...

It was almost like she hadn't been away.

Even the way Maxwell stood behind his desk, hands on it like he was ready to discuss important business, had an air of familiarity around it.

She closed the door behind them, somehow feeling like it was appropriate, before approaching the desk.

"You wanted to talk to me about something, Maxwell?"

He appeared to consider, before clearing his throat, "Well...it's, um...a rather delicate subject, C.C.."

C.C. folded her arms, "We've known each other a long time, Max, I don't honestly think there's anything left that we can't say to each other."

That seemed to give him a little boost of confidence, as he took in a breath and let it out, before nodding.

"You're right...you're right..." he said. "You see, the thing is...things haven't been the same at the company, since you've been absent. Shows that I thought would work haven't been working, there have been fewer outstanding hits, theatre and actor contracts have been a mess...all of that I could handle myself just by thinking more like you, but it still wouldn't be the same. I'd really like to be working with my friend again. So, I'm asking if you'd consider reforming Sheffield-Babcock Productions."

Shock.

That was what C.C. was in – she was in shock.

Of all the things that Maxwell could have asked her, this one was, by far, the most unlikely. Reforming Sheffield-Babcock productions?! Going back to Broadway?! She had never expected this!

And what's more; she didn't think she wanted this.

She'd come such a long way since her years as a producer; she'd overcome her demons, had formed her little family and she'd healed. Granted, her original plan was to get better before coming back and resuming her life, but too many things had happened for that to be possible.

The most important one being Amelia's birth.

Becoming a mother had been a life changing event, and suddenly, everything she'd once been, had disappeared. It had changed – she had changed. Amelia had given her a reason to turn her life around, and she had grown and healed thanks to her.

She'd found a balance in life; a harmony that had once been impossible. A happiness that she'd once thought only a good marriage and social status could give her...

She'd rather hear her daughter laugh or tell her that she loved her than have all the status in the world.

Her daughter had made wonders for her bond with her family, too, and she was happy working for her father in the family company, which she was going to inherit once Stewart stepped down as chairman of the board. And she couldn't forget the financial aspects – not only her current job gave her more money than producing plays ever did, but she also liked that she wasn't exposed to the media.

That was actually one of the most important reasons why she didn't want to return – the media. She just knew that if she went back to Broadway she'd be in the spotlight, and consequently so would be Amelia. They'd be the subject of gossip, and C.C. wanted Amelia safe from that. Safe from the vicious words of ill-intentioned journalists who just wanted a good story. Safe from the spotlight and safe from the press. She absolutely refused to have her daughter overhear her being called the Bitch of Broadway...

She didn't want that life back.

And not because she didn't cherish Maxwell as a good friend, but rather because she was happier this way – she was happier leading a quiet but fulfilling life with her child and Niles.

If there was something her mental breakdown had taught her, was that her happiness came first (only second to her daughter's, of course).

So, as much as it pained her to disappoint Maxwell, her answer was clear.

"I am sorry, Maxwell, but I... I don't want to go back to Broadway," she finally said, her voice sounding just as strong as she felt – just as strong as the last few years had made her.

Of course her friend's face fell immediately.

"Bu-but...why not?"

"That...life isn't for me anymore," she shook her head, hoping that her resolve wouldn't fail her now. It couldn't. It hadn't for so many years, the last thing she wanted to do was break down now. "It might have given me money, fame, and a certain amount of extra status in this city, but it didn't make me happy. I thought I was, for the longest time, but then I...I had the breakdown. It was clear I was far from happy. But then I got away from it all, and I had Amelia, reconnected with Niles and then with you and Fran. And now...my life feels a lot more fulfilling. Happier. I have everyone I want exactly where I want them in my world, and a job where I don't feel like I could fall back into any kind of depressive cycle. I'm sorry, Maxwell, I am your friend, but I couldn't go back to being your business associate. It wouldn't be good for me, and if the press got wind of Amelia, that would only make things worse, for so many reasons. So, again, I am sorry, but I have to say no, for Amelia's happiness and for mine."

She was staring at the carpet by this stage, slightly afraid of what Maxwell's reaction would be.

She knew it probably wouldn't be as bad as she was thinking, but that little lingering doubt was enough. He was her friend, but he did have something of a temper on him, especially when it came to really big decisions like this.

Then again, if he was her friend, he should understand her reasons behind saying no, too.

Either way, the suspense was killing her.

And the silence extended for what felt like hours. It became anguishing, and C.C. was almost certain that Maxwell would eventually begin screaming and their friendship would come to a sudden and very unpleasant end.

She wasn't going to change her decision, though. Even if it meant cutting ties with the Sheffield family.

"Alright," Maxwell said, sighing. "If that's your choice, I will respect it."

C.C.'s head shot up and she looked at Maxwell in the eye, completely shocked. He was okay? And she wasn't going to try to change her decision?! That wasn't like him at all...

But the words had come out of his mouth, and she could clearly see him giving her a warm, if slightly disappointed, half-smile.

"Re-really...?" C.C. stuttered. "You... you are okay with it?"

Maxwell's smile fell from his face and it was replaced by a concerned frown. He quickly edged round his desk and went to his clearly distressed face. He placed his hands on her shoulders, almost as if trying to soothe her nerves.

"Of course I am!" Maxwell said gently. "C.C., I told this to you when you first handed me your resignation – it's your choice, and I'll support you. Of course that I would have loved to work with you again, but in the end, it's your choice and your life. You have Amelia to consider and if this life works better for you two, then I won't ask you to change it. I just thought you'd like to come back, that's all."

And once again C.C.'s mouth fell open. Maxwell Sheffield was known to be thoughtless and a little insensitive, but just like what had happened when she'd resigned, he was being surprisingly supportive. It's not like he wasn't a good friend, but... well... she'd thought he'd try and change her decision.

This man surprised her so...

"I... well... thank you," she said nervously. "Don't... don't take it wrongly, but I... well... I thought you'd be..."

"Less supportive?" he interrupted her, a sad smile spreading across his face.

"Yes... that..."

Maxwell nodded, seeming in more understanding.

"I wondered if you might," he said. "I know I haven't exactly been the best support when it comes to decisions over the years. But if you resigning taught me something, it's that if you care about somebody, you have to let them do what is best for them. And this is what works best for you, so even if I am saddened by the fact that we won't be working together again, I am not lying when I say I respect your decision and won't attempt to change your mind."

C.C. let out a light chuckle. It was at least half done in relief.

"Thanks, Maxwell."

He smiled back at her fully, seeing that his answer had lifted a weight from her shoulders, "Any time, C.C.."

The two friends shared a very brief hug, the feeling of tension that had built up before leaving them both, and Maxwell spoke up again.

"Now, what's say you and I get back in the other room and enjoy the rest of our Christmas, hm?" he asked. "I'd wager our significant others will be waiting."

"And wondering what could possibly be taking so long," C.C. smirked. "If they haven't already gone to the intercom."

"Don't worry," Maxwell said, smirking, too. "Knowing who we are dealing with, I disconnected it in advance."

Both friends shared a laugh as they began their way back to the living room, where their families awaited. Her rejecting Maxwell's offer had an almost bittersweet taste – they'd been business partners for fifteen years after all – but they'd get over it.

Because, when everything was said and done, happiness was their priority.

* * *

"Is she asleep?" C.C. said as Niles slowly closed the door to their room.

"Like a log," Niles replied, making his way to their bed and climbing onto it. Actually, he climbed on top of C.C., who was waiting for him wearing an enticing red teddy. "Which is good considering what we are about to do..."

He leaned down to catch her lips in a kiss.

"Oh, and what is it that we are about to do?" she giggled as she wrapped his middle with her legs and placed her hands on his shoulder.

"Well..." Niles began trailing kisses down her neck, carefully lowering his body on hers. "You were naughty this year, and a naughty year deserves a naughty Christmas celebration."

"I like the sound of that..." C.C. growled and they were lost to the world.

She liked this – the kissing, the cuddling... it was a different kind of foreplay. A loving type of foreplay.

But she sensed there was something wrong... almost as if he was thinking about something else. Almost as if there was something puzzling him or worrying him. She pulled away, confused.

"Is there something wrong, lover?"

"Hm?" Niles stopped his trail of kisses to look up at her, and even though it disappointed C.C. in some ways, it was best that he did if they were going to talk properly.

It would be better if their minds were completely focused on what they were doing.

C.C. sat up a little more, so she could look at him properly, "You just seem a bit preoccupied."

Niles blinked, and then gestured downwards, towards her body, "Well, I was just about to-"

She shook her head in return, "No, Niles. You seem like you have your mind on something else."

"Oh," he sat back a little, frowning minutely. "Well, I was thinking about...well, I was wondering if I should ask what happened between you and Mr Sheffield today, in the office."

"I see," she supposed she should have told him before, but it was better late than never. "Well, he...actually offered me my job back, at the company."

She saw the expression on his face, and continued before he had the chance to say anything.

"I turned him down, though. Being away has given me some perspective, and I know I am far happier not working as a producer anymore. Between the stress of the work, and the potential to accidentally put Amelia in the media spotlight, and the fact that it didn't really make me happy...I am far better off how I am now. With you, and with Amelia, and not working in an environment where I could fall back into my old, bad habits again."

Niles opened and closed his mouth, almost as if trying to find something to say, but nothing came out. He was rather shocked by Maxwell's offer, and he was also surprised by how easily she had refused it and that Maxwell hadn't tried to change her mind.

It wasn't that he thought C.C. wasn't capable of saying no to Maxwell, but rather that he'd believed that maybe, given the chance, she'd go back to her life as a producer. He knew she was happier this way, but there had been a lingering doubt in him.

He was glad that she had chosen this new life. It was healthier for her, and it made him happy to see her happy – not to mention just how much he enjoyed spending time with her and Amelia.

Her life as a producer had been full of vices and stress, and given that she was now a mother, he supposed she wanted to spare herself of that. And probably she didn't want Amelia to be exposed to the media, something with which he couldn't help but agree.

"Well..." he said, letting out a sigh, "As long as you are happy with your decision..."

"I am," she stated, lying down once again and pulling Niles with her. "It's the best for us, don't you think?"

It was for the best. She had clearly given it a lot of thought, too, and had factored in things such as Amelia, and their own relationship.

He kissed her on the lips again, his hand caressing its way down her body to start lifting the teddy up and over her.

"I do think," he replied as the fabric slipped from her body, to the mattress, onto the floor, his own shirt soon following between kisses. "And I am very proud of you for making your decision."

"I'm proud of me, too," C.C. slipped one arm around his shoulders to pull him close again, and used the other to help him remove his belt, pants, and underwear, the last item of which he kicked away before taking his place over her. "So let's have a little fun celebrating me making a decision worthy of praise, shall we?"

Niles was already well ahead of her, as was detailed in the hitching breaths she gave between words.

His lips and tongue felt so good, travelling over her body, licking and nipping and sucking and kissing in all the places he knew she liked...

She couldn't help but moan, giving a small yelp as his tongue probed even further south. But not quite south enough, and in her haze of pleasure, she just about managed to look down towards where he was kissing around her most sensitive area.

"You...little...tease!" she groaned, rolling her hips against him to make him do more - anything more, as long as it was something.

Niles responded by smirking up at her, bringing himself back up and positioning himself at her entrance, lightly rubbing his shaft against her clit, which she could swear was trembling with anticipation.

"Sorry love," he moaned. "But a little teasing is what you get if you're put on the naughty list."

Then at last he pushed inside her, and C.C. bit down on her lip to stifle the loud groan threatening to escape as he began to move in her.

Well, if this was the way people on the naughty list were treated, then she'd aim to end up on it again next year...

* * *

 **AN: Hey there! We hope you enjoy this chapter :) as usual we'd adore your reviews!**

 **H &L**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Chapter 9_**

"Come on, Niles!"

"Alright, Little One, I'm hurrying as fast as I can!" Niles couldn't help but laugh a little under his breath at Amelia's eagerness to get to school for the first time.

Well technically speaking it wasn't her first day of school ever – she'd gone to kindergarten last year – but this was her very first day of elementary school! Today, she'd get the opportunity to start that most important foundation in her life; education.

Stewart and Maxwell had insisted that the milestone was so huge, C.C. and Niles should take the day off to go and see her go in, and they had readily taken up their offer. Neither could imagine not being there to wave her off for the first time.

Niles was convinced Amelia was going to be just like her mother in terms of work ethic – she already seemed to be so at home, meticulously going over her books and puzzles whenever she played with them, so it seemed a good sign that her daughter was so looking forward to her first day.

She'd practically dragged C.C. away from the car, perhaps convinced that having her mother with her for the big moment when she actually had to go inside was enough. C.C. had a firm hold of her daughter's hand, and they were waiting a few feet away from him, prepared to walk in the direction of the school. He grabbed the little lunchbox and backpack that had been left on the back seat, slamming the car door shut and locking it before going to join them.

"A certain princess nearly left her lunch and books behind," he widened his eyes and pulled a face at Amelia, making her giggle, and he crouched down to help her put the backpack on, before slipping the lunchbox into the zipped compartment at the back. "We couldn't have that, now could we?"

"No," the little girl dragged out the word, sounding to the butler very much like a higher-pitched version of his girlfriend.

Both Niles and C.C. shared smiles as Niles returned to standing height. To them, Amelia was, without a doubt, the most beautiful little creature on the planet.

They'd have another powerful businesswoman in the family yet, and the thought made C.C.'s heart almost burst with pride.

The three of them at last began the walk across the road towards the school, each taking hold of one of Amelia's hands so they weren't separated from each other despite the crowd of parents saying farewells to their children, and they laughed and joked together for a few moments before coming to the entrance – the exact place where they were to leave her.

They let go of her hands, and as she turned to face them, they knelt down in front of her.

"Have you got everything you need?" C.C. asked, taking hold of her daughter's hands and craning to look back at her backpack, as though she were considering turning Amelia around, undoing the back and making sure everything was inside for one last time.

"Yes, Mommy," the little girl smiled, her blue eyes flashing in the sun. "We made a list, remember?"

Niles knew C.C. remembered. They'd checked it over several times the previous night. C.C. had been very particular about making sure Amelia had everything she could possibly need, even though it was only her first day. Pens, pencils, crayons, an eraser, a notebook, a ruler – everything went into the bag, stored away neatly for convenient access. Niles had been almost worried that she was overthinking everything, but he helped her go through it and she relaxed when it was done.

He knew it was just a little hard on her, that was all. She was a fantastic parent who adored her daughter, but she was always afraid that that wouldn't be enough. That's why he had to stop and remind her occasionally.

"Yeah, I remember," C.C. nodded at her daughter, trying to make sure her voice didn't break, before beaming and opening her arms. "Come on, give me a hug."

Amelia threw her arms around her mother's neck, and hugged her tightly. C.C. hugged tightly back, and kissed her daughter's locks. Niles heard her breath hitch, and he angled his head. As he did, he noticed a few tears leaking from the corners of C.C.'s eyes.

He was trying very hard not to cry himself – seeing C.C. so overcome with emotion, and knowing he was going to miss not having Amelia around during the day, and being so proud of everything he knew she was going to do and be…

And yet to C.C. it still seemed like only yesterday that she was bringing a tiny little baby home from the hospital. She was growing up fast, and time flew.

It was certainly doing so right then, as a bell rang from the direction of the school and the children all began to file in.

He placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, "C.C.; the bell. It's time to let go now."

"I don't want to let go…" the former producer burst into loud sobs.

Sighing, and being very gentle, Niles peeled C.C. off her daughter, and made a substitute by allowing her to cry into his shoulder while he himself received a hug from Amelia.

"Be good, Mia," he told her softly, kissing the top of her head. "Do what the teacher says, and have fun. We'll be back to pick you up later."

"Okay, Niles," Amelia nodded and smiled, before turning away and calling over her shoulder. "I love you."

C.C. angled her head to call out to her daughter as she cried, "I love you too…!"

They rose to their feet (well, Niles pulled C.C. to hers) to watch her go, disappearing up the steps into the school with the other children. The former producer continued to weep openly against Niles, and he wrapped his arms around her back.

"It'll be alright," he murmured in her ear, stroking one hand up and down her spine. "You'll see her again in a few hours."

"I know," C.C. sniffed, turning her head and resting her cheek against his shoulder. "It's just that…she's growing up so fast, Niles! Soon she'll go to high school, and then it'll be college or university, and then she'll graduate and get a job, and get her own place and have her own family…"

Niles chuckled, "It would be like you to get pre-empty-nest syndrome. You have years and years in between before all of those things happen, Babs."

"I thought it would be years and years between bringing her home from the hospital and coming here today and yet here we are," she replied. She wasn't crying anymore; that was a step in the right direction.

"I know, sweetheart. You can't stop her from growing up b-"

"That is not helping, Hazel," C.C. said, pulling away from him and giving him an unimpressed look.

"That's because you didn't let me finish, Babcock," Niles retorted, reaching out for her hand and entwining their fingers together as they slowly made their way back to the car. "You might not be able to stop her from growing up, but you can enjoy her as she does so."

"I do that already! It's just... time has gone by so fast... I still remember when I was pregnant with her as if it had been yesterday!"

The butler sighed and unlocked the car. He hated seeing her feeling so miserable – Amelia growing was something no one could stop, and it truly was hard on her. C.C.'s life had been centred on her baby girl for years – she'd changed her entire life around for her – and now that she wasn't a baby any more C.C. was feeling like she was losing her. Not entirely, of course, but she no longer depended on C.C. for everything, and that was a bit of a blow for her.

Well... maybe the idea that had just popped in his mind might help!

He opened the door for her before getting into his own seat and turning the engine on. He reached out and patted her thigh affectionately. "Hey, don't worry, it will get better. And I think I have a little idea that could cheer you up!"

C.C. arched an eyebrow as she wiped a few tears that had managed to escape from her eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

Niles smiled at her warmly before pulling out of the parking space and taking off for their home. "You'll see, Babcock – let me surprise you, for a change."

It was difficult to keep quiet on the way back. But every time C.C. tried to ask, again, what Niles had in mind, he simply told her to be patient, and that she'd find out soon enough. She'd find out as soon as they were home. She wouldn't want the surprise ruined. And of course, his expression gave away nothing whatsoever.

It was just lucky that the traffic was light – if she'd had to wait for hours to find out what he had planned, she might have either died from suspense, or killed him out of frustration. But eventually, they pulled up in front of the house, and Niles took her by the hand to pull her inside, all the way into the living room.

Gripping at her upper arms, he manoeuvred her so she would sit on the sofa, in front of the TV.

"Now," he said, undoing his top button and loosening his tie. "I want you to close your eyes."

C.C. looked suspicious, "The last time we did something like this, we ended up unable to walk for hours, and I'm not really in the mood right now-"

"Not that," Niles said, a hint of frustration in his tone. "I have a different kind of surprise for you, but you'll see it right away if you have your eyes open!"

Oh. Well, that was a fair enough reason, and he was clearly more than sincere. So she did as he'd asked, and closed her eyes. She then felt fabric over her eyes, and a tightness at the back of her head, and came to the conclusion that Niles had loosened his tie to slip it off entirely, in order to use it as a blindfold.

She heard him walking away, almost like he was going to one of the cabinets.

He was, she heard one of the doors opening.

What could he possibly be doing?

She kept listening as he moved around the living room – he laid what sounded like heavy books on the coffee table before her, he then turned on the TV and slipped a videocassette into the VCR. She also felt a blanket being wrapped around her shoulders only moments later and he used the opportunity to peck her cheek.

"I am almost done here," he whispered to her ear. "Give me one more moment and everything will be ready."

She nodded and he kissed her again before scurrying away. C.C. made a safe bet that he'd gone to the kitchen, and the smell of freshly made microwave popcorn soon proved her right.

Moments later, he took a seat next to her and carefully wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Ready?"

"I've been ready for millennia, Niles," C.C. said, rolling her eyes (although he didn't see this due to the blindfold). "Come on, Father Time, don't make me wait!"

Niles chuckled but he complied with her wishes. He gently removed her blindfold and the world finally came into view. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust, but eventually she realised just what was going on.

Niles had taken out the many photo albums of Amelia and the different home videos she'd taken over the years. The one that was in the VCR was actually the one her father had taken on the day of Amelia's birth...

"As I said before," Niles spoke, squeezing her shoulders. "She won't stop growing, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the present and the past, too."

She was almost too overwhelmed to say anything. She could only let out a little breathless laughter as a few tears made their way into her eyes and Niles pressed Play on the video.

 _"Come on, Kitten, it won't be long now!" Stewart's voice was encouraging on the other end of the tape._

 _"Oh, yeah?" video C.C. groaned in return. "Tell her that, so she'll hurry up!"_

"Wow, and here I was thinking that motherhood had changed you," Niles remarked, earning him a wordless swat on the arm from C.C..

They sat back, cuddled together and watching it play out, occasionally looking through the pictures as C.C. would every once in a while grab a new photo album and hold it on her lap. It was almost like she wished that Amelia was right there, to hold on her lap, instead of a flat surface with her smiling face on it.

Niles knew it was probably still a bit difficult for her, but he held her close as they went through each and every single item, laughing as she told him stories behind each and every single one; Amelia's first trip to a play park, her first tricycle, her first birthday...

C.C. told him each and every single little detail. And it was almost becoming like he had been there.

He would have been there, if he'd known she was waiting.

Part of him wished that he'd found about her sooner – that he'd become part of their lives when Amelia was younger. C.C. must have needed help when Amelia was a baby, and the poor woman had had to do everything by herself!

She hadn't had anyone to help her with the herculean task that motherhood was, and from the stories she'd told him more than one time he'd have helped – supported her in difficult times. But he was here now, and he wasn't going away. He loved C.C., and as days passed by he became more and more attached to Amelia. Actually, he was beginning to feel Amelia was his own...

He knew it was wrong – and he certainly hadn't told C.C. – but he couldn't control his feelings. The girl had found her way into his heart, and he only wanted to keep her there and make her happy. It was more than the affection that one could have for the child of a significant other – it was a deeper affection.

He just knew this was his family; this was where he belonged...

But it was too soon – both to ask her for marriage and to make his feelings for Amelia known. For now he had to content himself with being C.C.'s partner and a sort of caretaker for Amelia.

"Oh my God!" C.C. exclaimed, looking down at one picture in the only photo album they hadn't gone over.

"What?"

"This picture!" C.C. exclaimed as her eyes welled up. "It's my first picture with Amelia."

And indeed... the picture depicted a clearly exhausted C.C. lying on a hospital bed and holding a new-born Amelia. Even there, that little human bundle looked like her mother – her little face was all C.C.. But the hair was obviously darker, and he knew the eyes, even though they weren't open, would be a certain shade of blue...

He couldn't help but think about how much he wished she had those eyes because of him. The jealousy came almost naturally, even though he knew that it was all in the past and couldn't really affect their future. Could it? C.C. had never really wanted Patrick, and Amelia didn't know him...

He couldn't afford to think like that. What had happened, had happened. He had to make the most of what he had, not freeze solid with fear at the miniscule chance that it could be taken away.

He distracted himself by thinking about how that little girl had brought them together, and resting his cheek against the top of C.C.'s head, hugging her hard.

"The first moment in a completely new era," he mused aloud.

"It really was, wasn't it?" C.C. angled her eyes up towards his face, having rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed as she smiled. "I love you, Niles."

He smiled down at her. Yes, the past hadn't gone the way he wanted, but he truly had a beautiful present.

A present that he wanted it to be his future, too...

But not yet. Their first anniversary was drawing near, so he'd have to wait and see. Asking complicated questions wouldn't do them any good, yet. He still wanted to see how C.C. felt about marriage – because even if their relationship was going well, he didn't want to rush things. Especially since C.C. had Amelia to consider.

It was a matter of patience. Patience and making the best of what he had.

"And I love you," he said, leaning down to peck C.C.'s lips.

They cuddled in the sofa for hours, only moving occasionally to either change the tape or to grab a snack. They were blissful in their little bubble of love – it was just them and happy memories. Memories which now, in a sense, Niles felt were his own, too.

Of course everything came to an end when the time to pick Amelia up came. And as they eagerly made their way to the car, both Niles and C.C. simply knew this was the life that they wanted.

* * *

 **AN: A small chapter to start the day! I'll probably be uploading a second one between tonight and tomorrow, just so you know :) Thanks for reading and, as usual, we'd love your reviews!**

 **H &L**


	11. Chapter 11

**_Chapter 10_**

It had been, Niles thought, one of the best night's sleep a man could possibly ever have. And now it was finished, not interrupted, just ended by what appeared to be rays of sun from a beautiful morning shining in through the gap in the curtains.

His entire body felt rested, and the body next to his own that stretched leisurely as she awoke surely felt the same. Her idea to stay awake until midnight so that they saw in their anniversary in style had been an extremely good idea.

C.C. turned over to face him, a beaming – if sleepy – smile spread across her face.

"Good morning," she murmured, reaching up and stroking his cheek with the tips of her fingers as he wound his arms around her waist and back, still delightfully bare from the night's activities.

"It certainly is," he leaned forward, and kissed her on the lips. "Happy anniversary, love."

"Mm. Happy anniversary," C.C. returned the sentiment by kissing him again, slightly harder. "You think we can get away with staying in bed a little longer, before we have to get up and make it a public celebration?"

"Hm..." leaving one arm around her, Niles rolled himself over to check the clock, and he frowned. "Not if we want to be ready by the time the guests arrive."

C.C. groaned, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. She didn't really want to get out of bed, but they had too many things to do. They'd spend a lazy morning in bed some other time, but for now they had to get up.

"Fine," C.C. grumbled, propping herself up on her elbow. "But we are taking a shower together."

Niles smirked. It was a blessing Amelia had spent the night at Stewart's (the older man had jokingly said it would give them time to have their own private celebration) because if not they wouldn't have time for a pleasant shower. Not to mention it gave them the liberty to be as loud and as… _spontaneous_ … as they pleased.

"If I ever say no to a suggestion like that, I want you to kill me," Niles said as they disentangled themselves from one another and made their way to the en-suite bathroom. It had a wonderful and ample double shower, which provided them with numerous (and very interesting) lovemaking possibilities.

"With pleasure," C.C. chuckled, wrapping her arms around his middle as they went.

As usual, Niles took care of preparing their shower, setting the temperature exactly the way C.C. liked it. It really wasn't a surprise when their double shower took them twice as long, but they couldn't bring themselves to care – they felt far too elated to care.

Today wasn't a day to be in a rush – today was a day of celebration.

And so, after their more than pleasing (pleasing being the operative word) shower, the couple swiftly got into their selected outfits for the day before finally emerging from their room, hand in hand and ready to have breakfast.

They had to eat in a bit of a hurry, though – they had taken so long in the shower that they had little time to finish preparing the house before the guests arrived! So, while Niles finished preparing the entrée, C.C. selected a few bottles of the best wine they had in their wine-cellar.

Both Niles and C.C. knew Amelia was due to arrive with Stewart, and they were almost certain that they'd be the first to arrive.

And indeed, almost as soon as Niles had finished washing their breakfast dishes, all things requiring straightening out had been put in their correct places, and they'd seated themselves in the living room to watch TV as they waited for their guests, the doorbell rang.

It was typical, but they had to get the door for Stewart and Amelia. They couldn't very well leave them outside!

So Niles rose from his seat and shuffled towards the front door, breaking into a beaming grin when he caught sight of Amelia in her grandfather's arms.

"Hi, Niles!" the little girl cried, clearly full of energy after having spent the night at Stewart's. The older man did spoil her, and there had probably been a certain amount of candy involved at some stage.

"Hi there, Little One!" Niles opened his arms out to receive the girl, who was passed over to him by Stewart, and he hugged her tight as he moved aside to allow the older man inside as well. "Did you enjoy your night at Grandpa's?"

"Yeah," Amelia giggled as Niles slipped her out of his arms onto the floor, and she looked around. "Where's Mommy?"

"I'm right here, sweetie!" C.C. called to her daughter from the entrance to the living room, and she bent down to scoop up the little girl, who had run towards her to greet her with a kiss.

Stewart greeted Niles with a hearty slap on the back, "Congratulations on the first anniversary, Niles!"

"Thank you, sir," Niles replied before closing the door. "Time has certainly flown past!"

Both men shared a light laugh as they made their way to the living room, where C.C. and Amelia awaited. Mother and daughter were snuggled on the sofa, and Amelia was telling her mother all the things she'd done at her grandfather's mansion.

Amelia adored going to Stewart's, and her grandfather had even built a beautiful room for her there; filled with toys and nice pictures. It was the same room in which C.C. had stayed during the last few weeks of her pregnancy and the first two months after Amelia had been born. Given that C.C. had been alone, her father had insisted on her moving in with him so there would be someone with her in case she went into labour, and afterwards he'd wanted to take care of her while she recovered and give her a hand with Amelia, too.

Thus, it had been natural to give the room to Amelia when she'd first started visiting her grandfather's mansion.

Of course that Stewart's place had a lot more fun to offer than just a wonderful room; the older Babcock had numerous pets with which Amelia like to play, and there were a number of entertaining rooms, like a playroom, a music room, a home cinema and even an interior pool!

Actually, Amelia was telling C.C. everything about the four hours she'd spent inside the interior pool. Her excitement was incredibly endearing, and so was the fact that she had only gotten out of the pool when Stewart had suggested she had been inside it for far too long!

"But Mommy, how do you know that a person has spent a lot of time inside the water?" Amelia asked, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck.

"Well..." C.C. began, taking on a thoughtful countenance as she tried to find a way to answer her child's question. "Mia, haven't you noticed how wrinkled your skin gets when you are inside the water for a long time?"

Amelia nodded.

"Well, that's how you know!" C.C. said cheerfully. "Your skin gets all wrinkled."

There was a moment of silence while Amelia thought about what her mother had just told her. Eventually, she looked between her mother and Niles and her brow furrowed.

"Niles, did you stay a long time in the pool, too?"

Niles paused half-way to seating himself on the sofa, and made a noise which sounded like he was choking, even though he hadn't eaten in quite a while. If he looked at Stewart, he could see the man was stifling his own laughter at what Amelia had just said, too.

It was the best reaction he could hope for, considering C.C. didn't even try to stifle hers. Her laughter echoed through the house, her head thrown back in absolute glee and amusement at what her daughter had just said.

"Hey!" he protested lightly at Amelia, rethinking sitting down. "I thought that you were supposed to be on my side!"

Amelia giggled, shrugged, and cuddled against her mother, "I go with what side works."

That only delighted C.C. further, and she hugged her daughter tighter, "Oh! She's just like me, I'm so proud!"

Niles frowned, unimpressed, "The rest of the world should be terrified, but I'm glad you're happy about it."

C.C. reached over to tug on his hand so that he would sit down.

"Oh come on, Niles; don't be such a sourpuss. Especially not today," she said, scooting both her and Amelia over so that he could sit next to them.

He knew Amelia hadn't really meant it, and it was quite funny, hearing her come out with it so quickly...

She really was like her mother, and he was much more than a little pleased by that notion.

Niles rolled his eyes, feigning reluctance as he allowed her to pull him down to them, "Oh, alright..."

"And I still love you, Niles," Amelia said, jumping from her mother's lap to Niles'.

And there she was again...

Saying that she loved him. Niles could feel the lump in his throat and his eyes watering. Hearing her saying that produced in him the most wonderfully odd sensations – he felt an overwhelming need to protect Amelia; he felt like he belonged...

And he felt an overpowering feeling of love for C.C.'s child.

He still didn't know just how to answer to that – granted, he knew he loved Amelia, but would C.C. consider it was too soon for him to say that to her? Would she dislike it? Maybe it would be best to wait...

So, instead of saying that he loved her too, Niles held Amelia close and gently rocked her in his arms.

"Oh, sweetheart..." he whispered and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"I mean it..." Amelia said, tightening her hold on him. "You are the best."

He couldn't help the few tears that ran down his cheeks – tears which were wiped away by a smiling C.C.. It didn't take long for him to notice that she had tears in her eyes, too. Luckily (or maybe not...) the emotional moment was interrupted by the bell ringing – the Sheffields had arrived. Niles honestly didn't know if he should feel thankful or disappointed...

They were getting too close to the point where it would be necessary to star discussing exactly where they stood now that they'd been a couple for a year. Clearly Amelia liked him, but was that enough to take the next step? He didn't want to pressure C.C... The last thing he wanted in the world was for her to think that they were moving too fast. Moving too fast might result in one of them ending up on a different page in the relationship, and if that happened, then the entire thing could go up in smoke.

Either way, they had guests to take care of.

So, releasing Amelia, he rose to his feet and went to answer the door as C.C. stayed with her father and daughter. Fran's beaming smile was the first thing which greeted him as he opened it to the other side.

"Hiya, Niles!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and planting a sound kiss on his cheek.

Her cheerful mood actually helped somewhat, and he lightly embraced her back (carefully pulling her away from the door to let her husband and children in, too).

"Hello, Mrs Sheffield," he let go of her then so that she could step further into the house and greet C.C., Amelia and Stewart. It also gave Niles time to shake Maxwell's hand as the kids rushed in to go see Mia. "Hello, Mr Sheffield."

"Hello, Old Man!" Maxwell gave him a pat on the back, as Stewart had done. "Congratulations on your first anniversary! Well, your first anniversary as a couple, because you two have known each other for twenty years!"

Niles chuckled as they made their way to the living room. It was true, they'd known each other for ages! That's why their relationship was going so smoothly – they'd already taken the time to know each other beforehand. They knew their ups and downs, their likes and dislikes, their good and bad habits...

They had twenty years of spending most of their time together; at this point they knew the other like the back of their hands.

That's why it frustrated him not to know exactly how to proceed. He wanted to take the next step, but part of him feared that C.C. didn't want that. They might have known each other for decades, but now there was Amelia to consider. The child had only known him for little over a year, so maybe C.C. wasn't ready to move to the next step so soon.

Maybe she wanted her daughter to get used to him, even if she seemed to adore him just as much as he adored her.

It was a matter of patience, really, and playing his cards right. He'd waited for her for twenty years already... he could wait a little longer.

"Thank you, sir," Niles eventually said. "We are certainly very happy ourselves. Now," he looked between his guests, C.C. and Amelia. "What do you say if we move this to the dining room? The children have a little table set in the living room, in front of the TV."

"What, is this all of us?" Stewart asked as the three little children ran to the living room, babbling about all of the cartoons they wanted to watch. "Isn't your mother coming, Kitten?"

"No," C.C. replied airily. "She had to attend D.D.'s fifth engagement party, but she did call to congratulate us."

C.C. shrugged uncomfortably. Although she and her mother had started talking again, she and D.D. hadn't really fixed their relationship, and D.D. still disapproved of Amelia. As a consequence, D.D. hadn't talked to C.C., Stewart or Noel since Amelia had been born; B.B. was actually the only one who was in touch with D.D.. Granted, her rejection still stung somewhat, but C.C. wasn't willing to let her sister's words affect her.

"Oh, yes...I was informed of D.D.'s latest nuptials," Stewart pulled a face. "You know, sometimes I think that she should just give up the entire idea of marriage. It clearly isn't for her!"

The conversation moved with them into the dining room, where Niles had put out a spread of easy to prepare (but delicious nonetheless) vol-au-vents, hors d'oeuvres, and canapés to serve as an appetiser before their main meal.

Not that Fran was treating them that way – her plate looked like the foundation for the world's smallest pyramid.

Picking out her selection didn't stop her from commenting, though, "Well, who knows? Maybe this one'll stick. Sometimes people just need a little time to figure out what they want – who they want!"

"She said it would stick the last time," C.C. helped herself to another little pastry. "And the time before that. Not that it really matters. Until she learns to behave in a civilised matter when it comes to Amelia, it doesn't matter to me one whit what she does with her life."

"That's the main concern," Niles agreed, pulling a chair out for her before taking one himself. "How many times she chooses to marry someone is none of our business if she herself is not involved in our lives."

"Oy, I was just makin' a comment," Fran said, a little taken aback by the strong negative reactions from Niles and C.C.. The brunette didn't really know much about just how hard it had been for C.C. to be accepted by part of her family, nor how much it still hurt to be judged because of Amelia. "But speaking of marriage..."

Fran made a pause to take a bite of one of the many canapés on her plate. "When are ya two goin' ta tie the knot?"

And it was instantaneous – Niles' eyes widened and he nearly choked on the canapé he was munching on. Had she just said...? Oh dear Lord, leave it to Fran and her big mouth to ruin everything!

Luckily, Maxwell seemed to realise just how out of place that question had been and he quickly intervened. "Sweetheart, I think we-"

"Oh, Max, please!" Fran scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "It's only natural! They've known each other for so long now!"

"Mrs Sheffield," Niles' slightly panicked (if angry) voice interrupted. "I agree that we've known each other for long but-"

"But? Oh, Scarecrow! What buts can there it be? Ya two are perfect for each other! And ya did give her a promise ring!"

"Yes, I did bu-"

"And there you go again with your buts," Fran chastised, taking a sip of her wine. "We know ya both want it, so just do it already! Pop the question! And what a better time to do it than on yer anniversary!"

"Mrs Sheffield," Niles tried again, growing angry and worried in equal measure. "Could you-"

"Oy, just let me get my camera! I bet you'll want the memory of this wonderful moment to-"

"Would you please shut up?!" Niles finally snapped. He knew his friend didn't mean any harm, but it would ruin everything... and he cared too much to let everything he loved slip through his fingers thanks to Fran's mouth. "I won't ask C.C. to marry me now!"

And suddenly it was like a bomb made of silence had exploded in the middle of the room.

Fran, who had been fumbling around in her purse for the camera she'd hoped would capture a real-life Kodak moment, allowed the little device to slip back into the bag, and allowed that to fall helplessly back into her lap, mouth on the brink of gaping.

Niles was focused on her. He felt too afraid to look anywhere else.

Somewhere, off to one side, Stewart coughed uncomfortably.

Niles wanted to say something. Anything. As long as it relieved the tension, it wouldn't matter. But he had nothing. Not a single thing of any value that could make what he said sound less...awful. But it was true, he wasn't going to propose to C.C. right then and there! He was going to make it special, and he was going to make sure that he knew it was what she wanted, first.

She had Amelia to think of. Her little girl would always come first, and if C.C. wasn't ready to introduce the idea of him being...being a stepfather, then he was going to wait until she was. Which she almost certainly wasn't now.

Not that he would know for sure – she hadn't said anything, and from the corner of his eye he just about saw her bitterly swallow the bite of canapé she had in her mouth.

And the silence... the longer it extended, the more anguishing it became. He lowered his gaze to his plate, completely aware that no one was moving – perhaps even breathing – around him. He'd fucked up... God he'd fucked up good!

But what could he say? He wasn't going to ask her to marry him right then and there. It wasn't time. And it certainly wasn't the place...

God... why did this have to happen on such a special day?!

He could tell by the sudden tensing of her body that C.C. wasn't pleased, and he had no clue how to make it better.

He knew that the way in which he had answered could be considered... _harsh_. But it was a reaction born out of his panic and the stress of the moment! He hadn't wanted Fran to keep insisting on the subject, and he had simply... snapped.

He only hoped C.C. wouldn't take it wrongly. He didn't know if he could bring himself to discuss this if she hadn't. Because doing so would open the door to a number of conversations he'd rather not have yet. She was the one in charge – she marked the pace, and he was terrified of losing her and Amelia for imposing his own wishes over hers.

Just as the silence was becoming unbearable, relief came. It truly was a blessing to hear three sets of feet running into the dining room.

"Mommy!" Amelia said, climbing onto her mother's lap. "Mommy, isn't it true that we spent my first birthday in France? Eve didn't believe me when I told her that grandpa took us there to celebrate it!"

"Hm?" the presence of her daughter seemed to take C.C.'s attention away from what had just happened. "Oh! Well, of course it's true, sweetie. And if we go back in the living room, I'm sure I can find the photos with us all in them."

She lifted her daughter into her arms and rose to her feet, swiftly preparing to leave.

"Kitten, what about lunch?" Stewart asked, gesturing to the almost completely untouched spread still on the table.

"I'm not that hungry," she quickly replied, picking up her pace and hurrying out before anyone else could say anything, or stop her.

Everyone else looked at each other, and at the plates, and just vaguely around in general. No one quite knew what to do or say.

Should they follow her into the living room, and try to change the subject as well? It seemed a reasonable course of action. Maybe they could still salvage something from this day. It had all been going so well, and Niles refused to let it end so horribly!

"I think we should all do that," Niles said quickly before gulping down the rest of his wine. It was almost as if to gather strength to face C.C. again...

And so, he slowly rose to his feet, and walked after C.C., leaving their very uncomfortable guests behind.

* * *

 **AN: Hello! Sorry for the delay, college and work have been a bit crazy lately. Anyway, we hope you enjoy this chapter! As usual, we appreciate reviews.**

 **H &L**


	12. Chapter 12

**_Chapter 11_**

Weeks had passed since the anniversary incident, but time hadn't done anything to better the things between Niles and C.C.. The celebration had actually come to an early end, and that night they had gone to bed, for the first time, without giving each other a goodnight kiss.

It was almost as though a thin layer of ice was now separating them – an invisible boundary that his words had unintentionally set. They hadn't talked about it; they didn't want to... but it had taken a toll on their relationship.

C.C. wouldn't say things were bad, but they weren't fine, either. It was almost as if there was an elephant in the room – Niles simply avoided talking about anything related to the incident or to marriage. He brushed it off, almost as if it had been nothing...

But it wasn't nothing. Was it?

Granted, he was trying to be loving and caring, but it almost felt... _flimsy_. Like his gestures were a way to try to cover his real feelings. She couldn't understand why he didn't want to talk about it, and soon uncertainty had led to fear.

Fear of the reasons behind this behaviour.

Why was he acting this way? On the many nights she'd spent in veil, toxic fears had quickly taken root – what if... what if he was reluctant to the idea of marriage or to discussing where they stood because he didn't want them?

What if he wasn't ready?

What if – God, this was, by far, her worst fear – what if he didn't want her because of Amelia? Part of her didn't want to believe this... Niles was anything but loving towards Amelia, but whenever the child had said that she loved him he seemed... uncomfortable. Almost as if he didn't know what to reply. She so wanted him to say it back. She wanted that encouragement, the knowledge that he wanted exactly what she did – for them to be a family.

She didn't want to lose him, not after everything they had been through, it would be agony beyond belief.

She wanted to voice this to someone, too, and who better than her brother, Noel? She'd invited him over for coffee while Niles was at work and Amelia was napping upstairs, and they were now at the kitchen table nursing steaming cups.

But for some reason, even though she wanted to get it all off her chest, she suddenly felt reluctant. She knew her brother would let her down gently, but what if he agreed that everything she said seemed to sound like Niles didn't want the same things she did?

She wasn't sure she was ready to hear it from someone else. And yet, at the same time, hearing it from Noel first might make it more bearable – give her time to prepare before she heard it from Niles.

Oh, who was she kidding? It was still going to hurt like hell; she could have all the time in the world to be prepared, but hearing it from the man himself would crush her.

"Is something wrong, C.C.?" Noel's concerned voice brought her out of her musings. "You haven't spoken in the last five minutes, or had your coffee..."

"Hm?" C.C. lifted her gaze from her coffee and looked at his brother. She couldn't even bring herself to muster a smile – what for anyway? She felt like shit and she wasn't about to disguise it. "Oh... well... yes."

"What's going on?" her brother said gently, reaching out for her hand and squeezing it.

She appreciated the gesture, it reminded her of all the times he'd consoled her when her parents fought or when her mother had first left the house. C.C. sighed. She wasn't going to beat around the bush – she was going to go to the crux of the matter. Her brother had always appreciated honesty, and the situation called for it.

"I... well... things aren't okay..." she began, but soon trailed off.

"Mh-hm... what isn't okay?"

C.C. sighed again – so much for trying to be straightforward! "Things... things aren't okay with... with me and Niles."

There. She'd said it...

She hadn't thought it would be so painful to say it aloud, but it made the problem official now that those words had left the realm of her thoughts. Making her fears known was almost like acknowledging the metaphorical knife that had been buried in her heart since the day of her anniversary. She hadn't wanted to acknowledge this, but what else could she do? She and Niles simply knew things weren't okay, and the tension was becoming unbearable. She knew talking things out was their only chance at solving things, but the fear... the fear of his rejection paralysed her.

Noel looked surprised by her admission, "Oh. Well, what exactly isn't okay with the two of you?"

He was just trying to help. She had to keep repeating that to herself. It was the only way she'd get through the pain that was surging through her body, and was going to keep doing so...

It was just like going to a doctor's appointment. She had to tell him what was hurting if she wanted him to do something about it.

C.C. swallowed, "I...I don't think he wants the same things as I do."

Noel sipped his coffee, and put it back on the table, "Why not? You two seemed perfectly on the same page the last time I saw you both."

"I know, but..." C.C. trailed off, resting her head in her hands. "I think that, maybe, along the way he's suddenly realised he's in too deep and now he wants out!"

"Why? What's he done to make you think that?"

She let out another breath at Noel's question, feeling the tears starting up more than a little, "He...he always shies away, when Amelia says that she loves him. It makes me think he doesn't feel as strongly about her as she does about him. Like he doesn't want to get attached to her. And then...the other day, at our anniversary lunch, he...got really riled up when Fran started asking when we were going to get married. He said...he said that he wasn't going to ask me to marry him now! Back then, part of me though he simply meant right then and there, but what if he didn't? What if he's taking it all back? What if he's realised doesn't want to be with me after all?!"

Her voice gave away her desperation, and she pushed her mug forward to rest her head on the table, buried in her arms. She soon felt Noel's arm slip around her in what she supposed was meant to be a comforting hug. But it wasn't enough. She thought maybe getting some of this off her chest would make her feel better, but it didn't. If anything, it made her feel worse.

Voicing it all out loud made her realise how plausible it all sounded. Niles shying away from getting attached to Amelia, dismissing the notion that he was going to take the next step forward...

He didn't want to be a family, did he? This was it. It was over, and there wasn't a damned thing she could do about it.

If he didn't want her, and if it was because of Amelia, what else could she do? She had to put her little girl first, even if it meant not being with the love of her life. This would be it when it came to romance. No more dating, no more...anything. Just working and raising her little girl, all the while wondering where it all went wrong.

And he'd probably go on with his life, find someone else who hadn't accidentally had another man's baby, and have his real happily ever after. The thought crept into her head, no matter if she wanted it there or not, and she began to cry harder.

She felt Noel pulling her to him and enfolding her in a tight embrace. She remembered he'd do that whenever their parents fought, and it still had a certain soothing effect. It wasn't nearly enough, of course, but it was the best comfort she could get.

"Have you talked about this with him?" Noel asked quietly. "About how you feel? Or the fears that you have?"

"O-of course not!" C.C. stuttered. "I wouldn't even know what to say to begin with!"

"C.C., you can't ignore it! Regardless if your suspicions about him are correct or not, you'll eventually have to talk about it," Noel said, frowning. "Niles doesn't seem like the type of man you are describing, but if that is the case then pretending this doesn't exist won't make it better."

"So you think we have no future?" C.C. sobbed, feeling almost as though someone had just slapped her.

"I didn't say that!" Noel retorted, reaching out for his cup of coffee and taking a sip as he held C.C. to him with his other arm. "I just said that you can't ignore this, regardless of what he truly feels. You need to talk this out with him."

"But I can't! That's why I am talking to you."

"Why? And, C.C., I can listen to you and give you my advice, but I don't have a say when it comes to your relationship with Niles," Noel said and looked down towards where C.C. had laid her head.

"It's the same thing Bort told you – stop pushing people away. If you feel there is something wrong, then tell him!"

The blonde scoffed and pulled away from her brother. She leaned back against her own chair, arms crossed and a frown on her face.

"Oh, right, so I'll just say " _hey Niles, I am terrified about you not wanting to marry me because of Amelia. Is it true?_ ". I bet that will work flawlessly."

Noel wasn't impressed by her words, which were dripping with sarcasm. But just as he was about to reply, they heard someone rapping on the door. Moments later, Amelia pushed it open. She must have awokwn from her nap.

She looked... worried. God... had she heard?! Please, don't let her hear!

"Mommy?" Amelia said in a tremulous voice. "Why are you crying?"

She immediately wiped her eyes. She couldn't be seen like this by her daughter! Much less explain to her the reasons why she was like this...

How could she possibly tell this beautiful, amazing little girl that the closest thing she'd ever had to a father didn't love her like either one of them had hoped, and wouldn't be around anymore? It would destroy them both!

"Oh, it's nothing, sweetie," C.C. sniffed. "Just Mommy being silly, that's all."

Yeah. Silly to think – to hope – that the man she loved really wanted to be with her, despite everything. Silly to think that they were on the same page and heading in the same direction. Silly to think that she'd found her whole and complete family...

Maybe her whole and complete family had been Amelia all along. She hated herself for thinking it, because she loved him so much, more than she ever thought, but it made the idea of him finally telling her everything and then leaving her...no, not more bearable.

But in the days and months ahead, that's what she'd keep telling herself.

"Your mother just has a little bit of a headache, sweetheart," Noel lied very gently to his niece. "Sometimes headaches make people feel sad, because they hurt so much. But we have to work through them, even if it means talking to someone about it to make the pain go away."

C.C. tried not to grimace. That was Noel's subtle way of emphasising what he viewed as the best course of action. She wasn't sure, though...

Honestly, she had no idea what to do.

What if she was overthinking this? What if this just was her anxiety playing with her mind? He'd been anything but loving towards her, but at the same time his shying away whenever Amelia told him that she loved him and his reluctance to discuss moving forward as a couple were major alarms.

"So... you aren't feeling well, Mommy?" Amelia said, wandering over to where her mother was and climbing onto her lap. "Maybe a hug will help?"

C.C. nodded and allowed her child to wrap her little arms around her. She was such a nice girl… she truly was lucky to have her. Heck... anyone would be lucky to have her! She was sweet, well behaved and adorable! She didn't get why anyone would try to get away from her.

"Feeling better?" Amelia asked, hiding her face in the crook of C.C.'s neck.

"Mh-hm, but I think I'll go upstairs and rest for a little while," C.C. dropped a kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "You could do something with uncle Noel!"

"No..." the girl replied, her tone suddenly becoming sad. "I... well... Niles said we were going to bake cookies when he got back from work!"

And so, C.C.'s anger flared up, replacing the numbing sadness that had enveloped her up until moments ago. How could he do this to them?! How could Niles play with her little girl's feelings like this?! If he didn't love her, why did he allow her to get her hopes up about him being a sort of permanent father figure? If he was planning on going after doing this, he was truly heartless...

She could feel the anger burning, and she didn't want to take it out on her daughter by accident. She had to get upstairs as soon as possible, and either calm down or wait until Niles got back so...so what? So they could talk? It seemed – felt – like everything was past talking at this stage.

But she couldn't leave her little girl without an answer for much longer.

Luckily her brother seemed to know how to improvise in a situation like this.

"Well, if your Mommy isn't feeling well and Niles isn't here yet, how about we do something here until he gets back, hm?" he suggested as C.C. lowered Amelia back onto the floor, preparing to stand.

C.C. wasn't too sure about this – it might give the perfect opportunity for Noel to have his own talk with Niles. But what else could she do if she was pretending to have this headache? She couldn't leave her child alone, and she didn't want her to see her upset, either...

She had to take the risk; gamble that Noel would stay out of it.

Amelia seemed to think her uncle's words over for a moment, biting her lip before smiling, "Okay! I can show you my drawings!"

Noel beamed at the girl, "That sounds like a wonderful idea to me! Are they in the living room?"

"Yeah," Amelia grabbed for his hand to start leading him there.

"Alright, then," Noel rose from his seat, quickly patting C.C.'s shoulder as he went past.

C.C. observed them leave, keeping a smile on her face for her daughter's sake, but as soon as Amelia was out of sight, her content expression crumbled down. Anger and sadness had taken over her very soul, and the only thing she could do right then, was drag herself upstairs into her room, lie on her bed and wrap herself up in a warm blanket.

She didn't know how (or if) they were going to solve this – perhaps they'd truly reached an impasse... perhaps it was time for them to part their own separate ways...

She didn't want to, of course, but right then their future was hanging on a wire.

* * *

Niles didn't know what kind of mood he felt in as he made his way up the steps towards the front door. He knew he should feel happy, going home after a long day at work. But something felt off, like there was an atmosphere that seemed to come from the very building itself...

He wondered if it was to do with him and C.C., but there was no sense in just standing outside and hoping the feeling would go away. Amelia would be waiting. He'd promised they'd do some baking together that afternoon, and he wasn't about to let her down.

He could hear the TV on in the living room as he opened the door, and a familiar, happy cry of "Niles!" went up before two little feet pattered into the hallway. She was followed closely by her uncle, who, despite his smile, wasn't really happy. He had an almost unreadable expression on his face, really. The smile was all for show.

That didn't sit well with Niles one bit, but he knew they couldn't talk about it with Amelia right there.

"Hello there, Mia!" he hoisted the little girl into his arms and kissed her cheek. "Did you have a good day today?"

"Yeah," she answered, sort of mumbling. "I showed Uncle Noel my drawings."

Her voice sounded off, and the more he noticed, the more he realised she looked downcast. Like her showing off her artwork wasn't the only thing that had happened that day.

He bounced her up and down a little bit, hoping the fun action would help, "That does sound like fun, but why the long face, sweetheart?"

"Mommy has a headache," Amelia explained. "She was really sad, and I didn't like it."

"I said I'd stay with Mia until you got home," Noel piped up, giving Niles a quick pat on the back before heading towards the door. "But now, I suppose I must be off. When C.C. feels better, tell her I said thanks for the coffee. I'm sure you can make her feel more alright than I can."

Niles wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that, but they bade Noel farewell nonetheless.

Allowing Mia to go back in and watch TV in the living room as long as she was quiet, Niles shuffled into the kitchen and started preparing a pot of tea. If she had a headache, she'd need some comforting, and to him nothing seemed better than a hot drink and a calm, collected talk.

He kept repeating that to himself as he carried the tray up the stairs.

"C.C.?" he knocked on their room's door before opening it, hoping that she would answer him.

He knew things weren't alright between them – they hadn't been alright since that incident at the anniversary party a few weeks ago. Why on Earth had Fran said that?! Why couldn't she, just for once, keep her comments to herself?! Why did she have to bring marriage into the conversation?!

Thanks to her big mouth, things had truly been… _tense_. They'd been dancing around the issue, but neither had truly and really been straightforward, so Niles wasn't exactly sure how – or even if she wanted – to talk about what had happened. Granted, the few times the topic of marriage had come up in their conversations he'd managed to avoid discussing it at length, and now there was a part of him that couldn't help but fear that maybe this had been a mistake.

But what would he say? Given the current state of their relationship he couldn't simply spring a proposal on her – he still didn't know how she felt about it, and he was at a crossroads. Should he speak with her? Or let everything continue its course? The latter didn't really seem like a good option…

Everything was slowly falling apart right before his very eyes.

He just didn't want to make her uncomfortable! Clearly the issue had done so, because ever since Fran had mentioned it she'd been distant – almost as if she was hurt.

Maybe he could try to talk with her about that? About what she was feeling?

Maybe clearing the air was all that they needed, even if it would mean opening a can of worms.

So Fran mentioning it had only made the matters – this strange feeling that something wasn't okay – worse.

The alarm signs were there – she surreptitiously avoided going to bed with him claiming she had a lot of work to do or that she wasn't tired; she'd stopped having breakfast with him and Amelia and she'd only grab a coffee before going to the office; she constantly locked herself in her study or in their room…

Well… very much like she was doing right then. This time she wasn't feeling well, so he hoped that a cup of warm tea and some talking could finally dissipate the dense feeling of dread that seemed to float around the house like a fog.

"Love?" he tried again as he pushed the door open. Through the crack of the door he managed to get a glimpse of C.C., wrapped in a warm blanket and watching TV. "I brought you some tea."

She glanced back at him out of the corner of her eye, before pulling the blankets further up around herself and turned moodily back to the television.

"No, thank you," she said.

Her voice was cold, and devoid of all the things he thought they had together, but that he now worried was slipping through his fingers, and there was nothing he could do about it. It was obvious she didn't want to talk, but he could at least try to make the tea a peace offering. He went in, making sure he didn't seem angry or threatening in any way by being quiet, and settled the tray with the tea on it on the bedside table.

"I'll leave it here, in case you change your mind," he announced, trying to smile but finding it very difficult when she wouldn't even so much as look at him.

"I'm not gonna change my mind," she replied, flicking through the channels irritably.

What was the matter with her? She hadn't been so annoyed at him in a long time, and then it was with good reason...well, it was a reason he was aware of.

He needed to get it out in the open – find out what was going on.

"Is everything alright?" his voice came out cautious, but it made her actually snap her head round to look at him.

"Everything's fine, Niles, I just don't want any tea!" she snapped.

This took him aback – so much so that he actually took a small step backwards. She hadn't been like this in so long, and he had no idea of how to fix it...

Did she want him to go?

He didn't want to, not in the slightest; he'd scream and plead and fight tooth and nail to stay by her side, and to stay in Amelia's life. But if it was what she wanted, then he'd have no other choice…

He steeled himself, and nodded, "Fine. I just thought I might make an offer, but if you don't want to take it up, then that's your choice."

He didn't know which part of what he'd just said was the straw that broke the camel's back, but C.C. practically jumped from the bed and turned to face him, staring daggers at him.

"Why are you making such a fuss over a stupid cup of tea?!" she snarled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why do you have to be this way?!"

Behind the growing anger and the sadness, he detected what he had long suspected – there was something else that was bothering her. It was deep, and he couldn't understand where he'd gone wrong...

"What did I do?!" he snapped, too, not being able to tolerate the tension and the anguish anymore. And as it usually happened with them, sadness easily led to anger. "I was just worried about you feeling unwell and brought you so-"

"Oh, right," she cut him off, huffing a scornful laugh. "You are worried about me. Cut the crap already."

Niles had to make a gargantuan effort not to let his jaw hang wide open. Things had been worse than he'd originally thought, and now the fear of this being the end started to feel a lot more real. It felt as though the temperature in the room had dropped, and he didn't know which wish was stronger – the wish to cry, the wish to scream or the wish to hug her and tell her just how much he loved her.

But maybe...

 _Maybe_ it was _her_ who didn't love _him_ anymore.

"Cut the crap?!" he practically cried out. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you?! Why are you treating me this way?!"

"Don't you dare play the victim!" she stalked towards him and pointing a warning (or maybe accusatory) finger at him.

"I am not playing the victim!" he said, keeping his voice level for Amelia's sake. "I am sick and tired of your silence, of your awful moods and of you making me feel like I've done something wrong! What on Earth did I do?! Please, just talk to me!"

"Why does it always have to be about you?!" the woman threw her hands in the air, probably to release some of her frustration. "And, of course, now everything is my fault! Come on, why don't you just say what a bitch and what a terrible woman I am? Uh?"

Silence. Silence for far too long.

How could she possibly think that he thought anything of the sort about her? Was that what she wanted? For him to scream about how their entire relationship had been a mistake because of how awful she was? For him to pack up his things and walk out of her and her daughter's life entirely? For him to say that she was a bitch, whom he could never really have loved or seen a future with?

He couldn't comply with her wish, if so, because none of it was true and he refused to say it even as a lie.

He shook his head at her again, this time more forcefully, "I have no idea what's wrong, honest to God I don't, but I'm not going to say anything like that to you!"

"What are you going to do, then, hm?" she seemed to be challenging him for some reason.

He knew what he was going to do. He was going to give her some space, and hope she calmed down enough to talk to him like a reasonable human being. He didn't know how long that would take, though, and he began to entertain (not that they were in the least bit amusing) thoughts of begging for a night or several back in his room at the Sheffield mansion...

"I'm going to give you some space," he said calmly.

For some reason, this seemed to hurt C.C. all the more.

She huffed out a breath, "Fine. Go ahead. Leave."

That last word felt like a knife in his chest, but before he could recover to say something back – explain that he didn't want to go – she marched past him, apparently heading for the bathroom.

"Leave me, like I knew you would …" she seemed to be half-sobbing, through her anger, as she slammed the door behind her.

If the shock of her sudden outburst hadn't rooted him to the spot, he would have followed her. He would have followed her into the bathroom, grabbed her in his arms and he would have held her until she'd told him what on Earth was going on between them... But the utter blow her stinging words had delivered simply allowed him to stare at the closed door, mouth agape and arms hanging uselessly against his sides.

Moments later she locked the door and opened the taps – she was going to take a bath...

She always did that when she was upset.

The hollowness in his chest was almost tangible; he truly believed he'd find an empty hole where his heart should have been if he touched his chest.

Was this it for them?

She had said leave, and he would be lying if there was a part of him that didn't crave for a night of peace at the Sheffield's, but there was something in her tone and in her words that suggested him that him leaving was not what she wanted. He sighed and rubbed his hands against his face. He was anguished, but knowing C.C., he had to be the one to keep a level head and get to the bottom of the matter.

That didn't mean it was easy for him – far from it, actually.

He was broken. The woman he loved the most clearly was bothered by him or something that he'd done, and he had no clue how to fix it.

He barely knew what she wanted him to do!

Should he leave? Should he stay?

Maybe they could reach a compromise...

Maybe it would be the best…

Slowly, almost as though his body was tied to invisible weighs, he walked out of the room and towards the study, where he plopped himself down on the sofa, trying to ignore the many pictures of happier times hanging on the walls.

Pictures of them on Christmas, on their first vacation together, on their anniversary, on Amelia's birthday...

"Niles?" a sudden, small, frightened voice said, making Niles' head (which he'd hidden in his hands) jolt in the direction of the door.

It was Amelia. She'd come up from the living room and was now hugging Bananas to her, almost as if the toy was some kind of shiled. She had appeared almost as if on cue, and he noticed she seemed worried.

No… scratch that! She seemed positively distraught!

He sighed a little. She must have heard the yelling, no matter how much he had wanted to keep his voice down for her. She seemed almost too afraid to enter the room, but when she eventually did, she ran to him and hugged him around his legs as best she could.

"Please don't go, Niles!" she sobbed. "I'll be good, I promise, please don't go!"

What was she talking about? Well, he knew what "please don't go" meant, but what did she mean, she'd " _be good_ "?

Did she think it was her fault? Did she think he was going to leave, because of her?

His shock over the whole affair was proving too much for her, too. She was in floods of tears, probably imagining that the only father figure she'd actually ever had was about to leave and she'd never see him again.

"I love you, Niles, please don't go!" he'd never heard a child beg before, and the sound shattered his heart.

As did her saying she loved him. He felt no other need right then but to pick her up and hold her close – to make her feel better, and to reassure her. So he lifted her onto his lap and she clung to him, and he wrapped his arms around her protectively.

He didn't want to lose this.

He _wasn't_ going to lose it.

Whatever was wrong, he was going to make it better!

"I love you too, sweetheart," he finally said and he rested his cheek against her head. "And I promise you, I am not going anywhere."

That seemed to partially stop her crying. She tightened her grip on him, clearly still afraid he'd leave. "You... you mean it?"

"I swear it," he reassured her, brushing her hair with his hand. "I am not going anywhere."

And he wasn't. He loved C.C. and he loved Amelia – they were his family. He'd be damned if a stupid fight robbed him of everything that was good in his life.

But speaking of good...

Why on Earth had Amelia said that " _she was going to be good_ "? Where had that come from?

Except an occasional tantrum every once in a while, Amelia was a really well behaved child, and she had never caused them trouble. At school she was a good student, had many friends and was always in a good mood!

Why would she say she'd be good?

He allowed her some peace as her sobs quietened down and turned into whimpers, but eventually he spoke.

"Little One," he said softly and began to rock his body in a soothing back-and-forth motion. "Why did you say you'll be good? You are a really good little girl already!"

Amelia hesitated, and he could actually feel her gripping at his shirt.

"It doesn't matter," she replied quickly.

She was avoiding the subject...

Just like her mother.

"It does matter, sweetheart," he insisted. "Do you... do you think what happened was your fault? Because it is not!"

The girl whimpered – he had hit the nail right on its head, it seemed.

"I... well... It's just that this afternoon I heard Mommy crying when she was talking to uncle Noel," she mumbled, her face hidden in the crook of his neck. "And she... and she was very sad and scared, too."

So something had happened when C.C. had been talking to Noel...but what could it have been? It wasn't really fair to ask, but he had to know if Amelia knew any more.

"Sad and scared?" he questioned, and the little girl nodded. "Did you hear why she was sad and scared?"

Amelia sniffed, and wiped her face against his shirt collar, "She said...she said that she was scared of you not asking her to marry you because of me...!"

She pulled away and looked at him again, "Is that true? Am I why you won't marry my Mommy?"

Her own question made her burst into tears again, and Niles couldn't do anything but pull her back into his arms.

C.C. did want to be married! She wanted him to be her husband, and to form a family in that way...but she'd been afraid because of Amelia? Afraid that he wouldn't want to be her husband, because she already had a daughter?

That wasn't true at all!

And he was going to prove it.

After he had taken care of the little girl he so very much wanted to call his own first, of course.

He supposed there was a lot more to C.C.'s fears than what Amelia could have possibly understood by eavesdropping on her mother's and her uncle's conversation, but he now had a vague idea of what was going on inside C.C.'s head.

She had been hurt and afraid... and sometimes, when C.C. was afraid or hurt, she resorted to pushing people away, like she had done with him. It wasn't one of her best traits, but he loved her just the same.

They had to discuss where and why those fears had started, but for now, what mattered the most was Amelia's wellbeing.

"Oh, sweetheart..." he kissed the top of her head, "I would love to marry your Mommy! And never, ever," he looked down at her and into her eyes to emphasise his point, "and I really mean ever, doubt just how much I love you both," he allowed her to hide her face in the crook of his neck once again. "You and your mother are the best thing I have, so how could I not want to marry your Mommy because of you?"

The girl kept crying and holding onto him for dear life, but his words seemed to lift an unfairly titanic burden from her small shoulders.

"Really?" she asked, sounding a bit more hopeful. "Then why did Mommy say that?"

He sighed. He didn't really know the reason himself, but he had to give Amelia an answer least she went back to thinking this mess was her fault.

"Well... I guess your Mommy is just a bit worried and scared, like you said! Sometimes, when we are scared, we say or do things that we do not necessarily mean! And what your Mommy said is not true – I want to marry her and I love you very, very much. As a matter of fact, you are one of the best things that has ever happened to me!" Niles smiled down at her, using one of his fingers to brush Amelia's cheek. "Even better than an online issue of "Better Butler" magazine, as your Mommy likes to joke about."

And that finally made her laugh...

It made her laugh!

The small and somewhat muffled chuckle was like glorious music to his ears, and he hoped to never have to go a day without seeing her smile or without hearing her laugh. Amelia was precious to him, and he only wanted to protect her, love her and make her happy. He smiled at her – it was watery; he hadn't noticed when the tears had started to make an appearance in his own eyes. He'd been too caught up in making sure Amelia was alright.

And now she was, and he hugged her again, the tightest he possibly could.

"Better?" his question was almost hesitant as he gently stroked her back, but he felt relieved when he felt the little girl nod against him.

" _Mm-hm_ ," then she seemed to consider something, and she sighed. "But Mommy isn't..."

That was a point. He'd managed to make Amelia feel better, but C.C. was still upset...

And all of a sudden, an idea clicked in his head. Probably the best idea he'd had in a while. He didn't even know if it would work, but he had to try.

He was going to turn things around, if it killed him.

"She will be, sweetheart," his words were confident, but he was more hopeful than anything. "We'll make sure she is. But first, how would you like it if I made you something to eat, hm? I have to go out for a little while, and you're going to have to do a very important job and help cheer your Mommy up while I'm gone."

The mention of food and "important job" caused Amelia to practically jump in excitement. Just like her mother, Amelia adored to have important (and complicated) things to do. And if those things included making her Mommy happy, then she would be extra delighted to help.

But first, food sounded great.

"Can you make me some of your hotcakes?" the girl asked, smiling up at him.

He glanced at his wristwatch before answering. It read 16:00 p.m. – only two hours left until dinner and three hours left until Tiffany Co. closed. Normally, he would have been against giving Amelia something as hotcakes so close to dinner, but considering it had been a rather stressful day, he supposed he could be lenient just this one time.

He pretended to ponder, putting on a comical thoughtful expression, eliciting another giggle form Amelia. "Hm... alright," he eventually said, "But tomorrow you'll make up by eating extra veggies, okay?"

"I Pinky-promise!" she offered him her pinky, which he readily entwined with his own before they made their way downstairs. He actually carried Amelia downstairs – the latter simply didn't want to let go of him – only putting her down so he could prepare her meal.

A few minutes later, the child was enjoying a soft hot cake, which he had greased with butter before drizzling some maple syrup on it. When they'd finished their meal, Amelia helped him clean up as they discussed their plan of action, and once everything was in its rightful place, Niles allowed himself to get his coat and move towards the door that gave to the garage.

He already knew which ring he wanted – although he hadn't planned on asking her yet, that hadn't meant that he hadn't looked for the perfect ring in the meantime! It was incredibly beautiful and it oozed elegance, grace, class and style. It was also outrageously expensive, but he'd rather be indebted than not give C.C. the ring she deserved.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Niles asked as he opened the car's door.

"Look for Mommy and cheer her up!" Amelia replied cheerfully.

"And what else?"

"Keep her entertained while you are out!" the girl squeaked.

"Excellent! I'll be back very soon, okay?" he gave her a kiss on the top of her head and ushered back inside before he finally got into the driver's seat and sped off towards the jewellery store.

* * *

 **AN: We decided to give you one more chapter! Enjoy! And as usual, we would love your reviews. Thanks for reading.**

 **HL**


	13. Chapter 13

**_Chapter 12_**

"Mommy?" Amelia´s soft voice asked, poking her head round C.C.'s door. "Mommy are you there?"

C.C. looked up from where she was lying on her side of the bed, barely having moved after her bath. She'd just about managed to put pyjamas on, let alone anything else.

She tried to give her daughter a smile, but found it incredibly difficult, "I'm here, sweetie..."

She wasn't sure she wanted to be, though. That fight with Niles had probably sent things in a horrible direction for them. She wanted to make it up to him, but she wasn't sure how, or even if she could...

Amelia wandered over, and C.C. reluctantly sat up to help lift her daughter onto the bed. The little girl wound her arms around her neck, and the former producer couldn't help but smile at least a little. It was always nice to get a hug from someone when it felt like everything was coming apart at the seams.

And it felt like everything had finally come undone, when Amelia spoke her next words.

"Niles said he had to go out."

C.C.'s felt like a sob caught in her throat.

 _Go out_. Probably a gentle phrase to stop Amelia from worrying. But she knew what it meant. It meant he wasn't coming back. Their fight had been the last straw, and the last they'd ever have. She'd been right all along… he'd wanted out, and their fight had been the incentive he'd needed to finally leave.

There would be no more nights where he'd treasure her entire body, and make her feel like the most sublime woman on Earth. No more waking up in his arms, feeling comfortable and adored. No more getting to spend the time with him and Amelia, pretending to be the proper family that she so very much wanted.

It was going to be just her and Amelia again from then on, and she wasn't sure if she really knew how to cope with that...

And there was no one else to blame but herself.

She had pushed him away instead of talking things out, like Noel had suggested. She had been the one who'd begun a fight when he had only brought her a cup of tea to make her feel better...

She glanced at the cup, still lying on her night table and filled to the brim with Niles' favourite British tea. It was frigid by now, but she intended to drink it. Almost as if to try and briefly forget about the irrevocable and dreadful truth that the love of her life and the man who had been the closest thing Amelia had had to a father, was now gone. Gone thanks to her…

C.C. had to close her eyes tightly so as to try not to cry in front of Amelia, but she didn't quite manage it. A few tears rolled down her cheeks, and much to her surprise Amelia was the one to brush them away.

"Sweetie, I-"

"It's okay, Mommy, you can be sad if you want to. Niles says crying heals the soul," her daughter cut her off gently and went back to hugging her.

Maybe it was the emotion caused by Amelia implicitly allowing her very own mother a moment of weakness, showing a maturity beyond her years in doing so, but C.C. simply couldn't hold herself together any longer. The former producer cried her eyes out, holding onto her baby girl for consolation. She was growing up so fast...

When had she gotten so big?

It seemed only yesterday that she had brought her home from the hospital.

 _Alone..._ like she found herself again.

She'd been so sure things between Niles and her were going to work! Why hadn't they?

God... _why hadn't they?!_

She missed him already, but she couldn't bring herself to leave her bed. Sadness was like a weight tied to her body, and she allowed herself to just lay there, holding her daughter as she cried.

"I promise it will be okay, Mommy, you'll see," the six year old muttered, playing with a loose strand of C.C.'s hair.

She didn't see how, but Amelia was only a little girl and she didn't want to say something so negative in front of her, so she kept it to herself. Tomorrow they'd be back to the routine they'd had, what now felt like a lifetime ago. Her doing everything for her daughter, and no one else would be allowed into their lives again.

Not just because it would hurt too much if someone else left, but because she knew she didn't want to move on from him, even if that meant leaving a gaping wound in her heart for as long as she lived. So she concentrated on her daughter, feeling a numbing depression coming over her at the thought of having had everything but losing it because of her own stupidity. She stroked the girl's back, and made to lie down.

She felt tired. Drained. Like all the happiness was going from her, and it was being replaced by a need to sleep.

She'd sleep. And she's probably dream. She'd probably see him in it, too – maybe they'd be out somewhere, enjoying the day as the family they'd never have. Or maybe they'd be having the fight again, only this time she'd be able to fix it, only to wake up and realise that she couldn't and the despair would take over again. She didn't know. All she knew as she closed her eyes was that she was hoping for a dream in which Niles appeared, if only to be able to see him again.

"Can we see a movie?" Amelia's voice started her out of her forlorn thoughts and her eyes snapped open.

Her first answer would have been no. She didn't want to see any movies or hear any music or even eat anything tasty... she just wanted to sleep.

But it wasn't Amelia's fault that things hadn't worked out between her and Niles; she'd be damned if she failed her daughter, too. She had just costed her a father figure, so the least she could do was humour Amelia and watch a movie together.

"What movie do you want so see?" she said, making a gargantuan effort to at least give her a half-smile.

"Hercules," the girl said. "Do you want me to get us some popcorn?"

C.C. shook her head. "You put on the movie while I prepare some popcorn for the two of us."

She tried not to show just how much she detested saying "the two of us". She loved Amelia, but she missed Niles...

She wanted him back...

She shook herself out of it as she rose to her feet and made her way to the kitchen, though. She couldn't break down now... she had to be strong for Amelia.

As she covered the distance between the room and the kitchen, C.C. tried to endure the heart ache that seeing his possessions lying around the house caused her. He'd probably come for them later during the week. She had to make sure Amelia was not home when he did. She didn't want her to see him leaving…

Eventually, she was back in her room with a bowl full of freshly made popcorn, and mother and daughter snuggled in bed together before they dug in as the movie progressed.

The former producer didn't really know when she fell asleep, but by the time she felt someone slipping underneath the covers with her, the room was silent. She supposed the movie had just ended and Amelia was getting comfortable to sleep.

"Goodnight, Mia," C.C. mumbled, attempting to hug her.

A large – too large for a six-year-old – pair of arms wound their way around her, and it made her open her eyes, confused. She thought she must have been dreaming at first, because even though the eyes she met looked like Amelia's, they most definitely didn't belong to her.

 _It was Niles._

He'd come back!

And he had a gentle smile on his face. She could feel something behind her, like he had something clenched in his fist, but that didn't matter.

All that mattered was the fact that he was there.

"Mia's asleep in her own bed," he murmured. "I thought it would be easier for us to talk."

He wanted to talk...she hadn't ruined everything to the point of no return?

"You want to talk? _Really_ talk?" she asked, feeling more than a little stupid, especially considering he'd just said they were going to.

And maybe even more so for putting them in a position where they had to.

But he'd returned, and that was what mattered. She shouldn't have doubted him to start with, and she was going to make sure to make things right.

"Of course I want to talk! I love you, and we are just going through ha rough patch, that's all. And we'll solve this, by talking things out! As we should have done," he leaned in and pecked her lips. In a sense, it was like waving a white flag after a long war. It made an unexplainable warmth spread thorough her chest, and she could only hold him close after having thought she'd lost him forever.

"Thank you," she nearly cried, her eyes welling up by the second. "For coming back and for wanting to… to try and solve this."'

"You don't need to thank me!" he moved one of his hands and the strange thing pressed against her back stopped bugging her. "But before we speak, I have to attend to slightly more pressing matters."

C.C.'s brow furrowed. What did he mean by that? What could be more urgent than trying to talk out why they'd nearly split up?!

"Niles, wha-"

"All of what happened, was just a big misunderstanding," he began as he sat up and beckoned for her to do the same. "And we both were too stubborn and fearful to make our concerns known. I love you, C.C.. You are the woman of my life, and I was a coward. I should have told you what I wanted instead of keeping it to myself. But better late than never, right? I want you and your daughter in my life – you are my family, and I want to spend the rest of my days next to you."

She nodded mechanically; she had no clue of what he was talking about. A misunderstanding? Him being a coward? And what did he say that wanted?! But before she could ask, he extended his left arm and opened her hand – on her palm, she could see a little Tiffany & Co. box.

Was this...?

"I guess that what I am trying to say is," he took a deep breath and opened the box with shaking hands. "Will you marry me?"

And C.C felt like she could burst into tears all over again. Scratch the "could", actually; she did burst into tears all over again, and she brought her hands up to cover her mouth due to the overwhelming tidal wave of feelings that were washing over her as a result of his completely unexpected proposal.

He did want to marry her! He wanted her and Amelia in his life, and her stupid thoughts had been nothing but unwarranted anxiety! She felt it dropping away the longer she looked at him and he looked back at her, hope in his eyes and his arm still outstretched.

She couldn't hold it in anymore, with a cry of delight, she threw her arms around him and kissed him hard.

When they eventually pulled away, equally breathless, Niles swallowed.

"So, I, um...I suppose this is your way of saying yes?"

"Yes, Niles!" she laughed, the tears leaking from her eyes now signifying her joy. "Yes, this means I am saying yes!"

And Niles felt his own heart burst with happiness. After dreading the possibility of their relationship suddenly being torn apart, he was now looking forward to them spending the rest of their lives together.

They were going to be a family, and nothing was going to take it away from him!

So, laughing and crying himself, he reached for the hand that C.C. had offered him, and slipped the ring down her finger. She couldn't help but gasp when the piece of jewellery was properly settled on her finger, both because the simple fact she was getting married was marvellous, and also because the ring was breathtakingly beautiful!

He had gotten her a gorgeous cushion-cut Tiffany diamond surrounded by bead-set diamonds. The metal was red gold, and she didn't really know how many carats was. Not that she cared, either. She was just a bit concerned about him spending so much money on her! She knew that they had been living together for over a year now and that, as a consequence, he had been able to save, but he wasn't exactly rolling in money.

Right then it didn't matter, though. Nothing except for the feeling of their hands touching mattered as they both took their time to silently admire the new ring adorning her finger.

They were going to be married...

"I love you!" she exclaimed, making to lie down and pulling him with her.

She almost wordlessly gestured for him to lie on top of her.

"Don't worry," she said, sensing his reserve to lie on her – he feared he would squash her! "I can take it. And I need you... please."

After nearly losing him, she needed to get lost in his arms – she needed to feel him some way. They'd talk, but first she needed reassurance.

There was a part of her that was afraid of this being just a dream...

But it soon went away, as Niles huffed out one single, quiet laugh through his nose, and lay down on top of her, as she had asked, settling between her legs so that he wasn't entirely crushing her. It wasn't a dream. It can't have been a dream – no dream of him (and she'd had plenty) had ever felt this real.

He slipped his arms beneath her, putting them between her and the mattress, and she held him to her, stroking his face and teasing with sliding her fingers up into his hair as she breathed in the warm, familiar scent of his cologne.

He nuzzled his head against hers, and stroked her own cheek with his hand, "I love you so much, C.C..."

"I love you too, Niles," she whispered back, and pecked him on the lips once. Twice. Several times over. She'd come so close to never being able to kiss him again, and she was going to take advantage of the fact that she hadn't.

And then she was going to treasure what she had for the rest of her life.

But first they were going to talk things through. They had to, now that neither one was upset or mad. They could have a proper conversation, and clear the air fully.

And then they'd move forward.

But to move forward, she needed to take the first step – and that step was talking. Talking about everything that was hurting and puzzling her. Only then she'd be truly and really at peace.

"We have to talk," C.C. said softly, threading her fingers through his hair.

"I know," Niles dropped a kiss on her chest and gently rolled them over, so they were spooning. He then wrapped an arm around her waist and nuzzled the back of her neck. "And I agree."

C.C. sighed contentedly, basking in the feeling of being held in his arms; she could also feel the even pace of his heart against her back. The conversation wasn't going to be easy, but it didn't seem impossible, either. It was mainly a way to clear the air – to help them get rid of their fears and misconceptions.

"Good," C.C. entwined one of her hands with Niles'. "And considering everything that has happened I will be straightforward."

"It's probably for the best," Niles crooned, kissing her cheek. "Might I ask why you were so angry with me today?" Niles made a small pause, mostly to prepare himself for the question he was to ask. He knew that Amelia had most likely only listened to a portion of her mother's conversation, but he truly didn't know why she'd ever feel he didn't want her because of Amelia! "Did it have to your conversation with Noel? Because... well... Amelia overheard that perhaps I didn't want you because of her, which is not true at all."

C.C. twitched, as though she were considering turning over to look at him, "It isn't?"

"Of course not," he replied. "How could I not want Amelia? She's your daughter, and..."

He sighed, trailing off.

C.C. made that strange half-twitching, half-turning motion again.

"And, what?" she asked.

Well, here it went. He was about to disclose everything, whether or not she thought it appropriate just yet.

Well, they were engaged now, how could it not be?

"I...love her, as if she were my own," he finished. "I just didn't know if it was the right time to say it. I didn't know if you'd think I was imposing by saying something like that. I wanted to wait until I knew for sure that you wanted me to have that kind of relationship with her."

There was a pause, and C.C. turned in his arms, so that she was facing him. She looked...overjoyed, and overcome by it.

At least the tears in her eyes were happy ones.

"You were waiting..." her voice was almost a whimper, "for me to be okay with it?"

"Yes," he told her quietly, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek and catch any stray tears. "I didn't want to pressure you. Just like I didn't want to pressure you into marrying me. I am sorry, I should have asked about all of this far sooner, but...I just got afraid, that was all. You have Amelia to think of, and I know she comes first. It's only right. I was scared that maybe you wouldn't want me to...fill any kind of role in her life, and that would be enough of a reason to keep you from saying yes if I proposed."

This man...

Oh this wonderful, wonderful man!

What a fool had she been! What fools had they been! It was all a big misunderstanding – one that would have never happened if they'd talked this out sooner. But now they were, and she was completely touched by his words.

He'd wanted to wait for her... wait for her to let him in when she'd already done so! All that she wanted was for them to be a family, and it seemed that so did he. He wasn't imposing anything, by any means! He truly was the love of her life, and he was the closest thing Amelia'd had to a father. What's more, she'd wanted him to feel that way, and it was a blessing that he did.

But then again, their fears had come to try and wreak havoc, and only now where they quelled.

"I love you," she said and pecked his lips before throwing a leg over his hip and wrapping it around it. "This is what I always wanted – this is what Amelia wants! You aren't imposing, by any means, so you don't need to be afraid of that."

She pecked his lips again before pulling away.

"And I am sorry for how I made you feel... I was just sacred! Scared that maybe you didn't want me anymore – that you didn't want us. It was just that... well... you always avoided replying Amelia when she told you she loved you and you also avoided talking about marriage! I thought that maybe you wanted out – that maybe you didn't want too many responsibilities."

"That couldn't be further from the truth," Niles pulled her in close again, kissing every part of her face that he could reach. "I love you. I love you both, so much...I wouldn't want to go a day without either of you!"

"I'm glad to hear that," C.C. was on the brink of bursting into loud sobs. "Because we couldn't imagine a day without you."

She really couldn't. No matter how much she'd just had to think about it for the sake of Amelia, the entire image hadn't seemed real. It had been like a nightmare, complete with the veil that seemed to separate it from the waking world, and the terror that went along with that.

But it wasn't a nightmare. It wasn't even a dream. It was all real. All deliciously real. And she was in his arms; her favourite place to be, if she was being honest.

And she was going to spend the rest of her life in them. She'd wake up like this every morning, and go to bed like it every night...

The thought was terrific – exciting, and overwhelming, and all the most wonderful feelings.

He wanted her. He wanted them both, and it wasn't going to change.

She turned her attention to kissing him back, out of happiness, relief, love, everything she was feeling went into it. It didn't take long for the kisses to deepen. It never did when they were there, like that. But Niles pulled away, pressing a finger against her lips. She whimpered in protest, but knew he must have had a reason for it.

"Hold that thought," he almost growled, a shiver creeping up and down her spine in the most glorious of ways as he got up and hurried to the door.

Checking that it didn't look like Amelia was outside, he closed the door and locked it.

Right now it was time for the two of them to celebrate their engagement in private.

He went back to the bed, climbing on top of a grinning C.C. and starting to caress her body as he kissed her.

She kissed him back, deeply and passionately, and even though the word fiancée sounded brilliant, he knew that he couldn't wait for the day he was able to call her his wife. At least they could get a little head start on the delightful activities of their honeymoon, he thought as he dipped his head and started nipping and kissing at the skin of her neck.

"I love you," she breathed out, wrapping her legs around his middle. She didn't know if it was a gesture of possessiveness, but the only thing she cared about was about having him close. "So very much..."

He continued to kiss her, leaving a trail of kisses along her jaw and neck. His hands had travelled downwards, and they were hitching up her nightgown.

"And I love you," he said, stopping his kisses, but his hands were restless. "And I think it's time for me to show you just how much I love you."

She couldn't help but moan when he carefully removed her underwear. His touch was light, but deliciously teasing at the same time. The way he caressed her skin and the way he kissed her as he did so, it was simply erotic!

After he'd given her one last, intense kiss, he settled in between C.C.'s legs. He teased at first, using his tongue to entertain her but it wasn't nearly enough.

She needed more.

She needed him!

"Niles, please!" she whimpered, and Niles chuckled under his breath as he delivered kisses around her innermost area.

He was teasing her! And she'd be damned but she loved him – she loved this.

"As you wish, love," he crooned and his tongue finally made contact with her awaiting core.

He couldn't see the expression on her face, but the way her fingers tangled in his hair, and her loud moan of satisfaction, told him all he needed to know as his tongue traced circles over her clit, each one harder and slower than the last.

"Oh, God, Niles...yes," she breathed, rolling her hips to meet his tongue harder. "Yes, just like that..."

Well, if this is what she wanted, then that was what she was getting. He curled his forearms around her thighs to hold her steady, and continued to lick, feeling the familiar twitching starting up a little too soon so he returned to her folds, kissing them to prolong her pleasure.

C.C. could only clutch at his locks harder, her breath leaving her in short, loud bursts, "Yes...yes...!"

She could feel herself tightening as his tongue slipped back inside her again, and this time it was joined by his fingers, too, and she could only cry out in pleasure as they started to work her in a steady, pumping rhythm.

God... why was he so good?

It wasn't the first time he went down on her, but it seemed it got better every time they did it. Or, at least, the feeling of his tongue on her and his fingers inside her were making her see the stars. She had to muffle her cries of ecstasy with a pillow as she entangled her other hand in Niles hair. She was close... she could feel it, and so could he.

He sucked harder and pumped his fingers in and out of her, and C.C. was lost in a haze of pleasure and love. And truly, she loved him so much... she'd been terrified of losing this – of losing him... she was truly thankful that he'd come back, because he belonged there.

He belonged with her and Amelia.

"Just like that... yeah... oh God, this feel so good," she rambled, unconsciously spreading her legs farther apart so he had more room. "I love you so much..."

He would have replied, but he had matters to attend to.

And she was only moments away from getting to his goal...

Suddenly, after Niles had given one last expert lick, C.C. had to swallow back her scream of pleasure as her orgasm ripped her body, the waves of pleasure hitting her one after the other.

As her whole body shook, and she caught her breath back while allowing the feeling to ebb away, Niles gave her sensitive core one last, lingering lick, kissed the insides of both her thighs, and climbed back up to hold her in his arms, pressing his lips against hers.

She could taste herself in his kiss, but that didn't matter so much. And as nice as being held by him was, she wanted the next step as well.

"God, I love you so much," she murmured. "I need you..."

"I need you, too," he breathed against her skin, returning to kissing her neck as his hands travelled up and down her sides.

"Then take me," she slipped her hands to his pyjama bottoms, fingers teasing at delving into them. "Come on, Butler Boy, I'm all yours..."

He wasn't going to deny her what she wanted because he wanted it, too, and with a smirk he closed his hands around her wrists, slipping her hands beneath the fabric of his pyjamas. Within moments, they were off, and kicked away onto the floor.

Her nightgown soon followed, and he teased her with the head of his shaft as he settled in between her legs. He rubbed it lightly, always hard enough to stimulate her but never hard enough so as to throw her off the edge.

"You... tease!" she moaned as he continued his delightful assault, rubbing his shaft against her clit.

"Never, love," he replied, looking into her eyes as an impish grin crossed his features. "I love you."

And with that, Niles took a deep breath and plunged into her. He had to muffle their moans of pleasure by pressing their lips together; they simply took a few moments to bask in the glory if being so intimately connected.

It was almost as if everything was right with the universe for an instant – a beautiful instant that seemed to stretch into infinity.

The spell wasn't exactly broken, but rather it was changed as Niles slowly began to thrust. His movements were tranquil and calculated – his thrusts were even, long and deep. He'd take a few moments to press his hips against hers before pulling out, all the while bathing her in kisses and caresses.

But eventually fastening the pace became a bit of a need. The pleasure was building, and to some extent he had to let himself be taken over by it. So the thrusts became harder, and quicker, and deeply felt. But he wanted to last, so he held back, wanting C.C. to feel every possible surge of satisfaction that she could get from his movements.

C.C. wasn't going to complain. Her legs were once more wound tight around his middle, and her nails dug into the flesh of his back as he moved back and forth, her breath hitching every time he pulled in and out, holding onto him like she would never let him go.

God, he felt so good...she couldn't help the myriad of pleasured moans and panted breaths issuing from her body.

She didn't want to. She wanted him to hear just how satisfied he made her.

"Oh, Niles..." she grunted, closing her eyes and biting her lower lip. "Don't ever stop...!"

If he could comply with her wish, he would. Nothing else felt like this, and pleasuring her for the rest of his life sounded like the best way to spend the rest of his days. But he knew he couldn't do that, even in his hazed lust, so he settled for pleasuring her in every way he could right then and there instead.

Besides, he could feel they were close to their peak – at least he wasn't. The intense quivering of her inner walls were a clue that she was also close, and in his mind making her come became foremost. She just had to go before him, even if he felt he was about to explode.

"God... yes... just yes..." she moaned, pulling him closer and muffling her moans by pressing her face against the crook of his neck. "I love you so much..."

He wrapped his arms even tighter around her, almost as if not wanting to ever let her go. He'd been so afraid of losing her... and yet here he was! Here _they_ were – their bodies moving in time, and their hearts pumping against their chests. The feeling was heavenly, and if it were up to him he'd stay inside her forever, but the end was in sight.

It was just a few thrusts away, as a matter of fact.

But wait...

No.

This wasn't going to end!

Not yet.

He suddenly rolled them on the bed, so they were left facing each other. He slowed his thrusting and caught one of her nipples in his mouth as one of his free hands travelled to her clit and began stroking it.

Truly, he intended to make C.C.'s senses go into overdrive.

He felt C.C.'s nails scrape their way up his back and neck and dig in against his scalp, his locks of hair twisted around her fingers, and one of her feet digging hard into the small of his back.

"Oh, God, Niles...!"

His only response was to suck and stroke harder, his tongue circling her nipple as his fingers worked her, occasionally joined by another thrust from his manhood. He slipped his one free hand, which had been on her back, out from under her and caressed it up and down her side, eventually settling it on the nipple he wasn't pleasuring with his mouth. He began to pinch and squeeze and stroke it, and massage the supple flesh around it as he did.

Using everything he had available to him seemed to be working, if the way C.C. was writhing beneath him seemed to say anything about the matter.

"God, you are good," she grunted as he gave another, slightly harder thrust, and lapped at her nipple some more.

He couldn't help the smirk, but it lasted a mere instant. He had more important matters to attend to, and he intended to take her to the brink of ecstasy and back as many times as he could. He would make her cry out in pleasure – make her come the hardest she had ever come...

He wanted to give her an amount of pleasure she'd never felt before, and he wanted it to be special. This was a special night, after all, and he was determined to make good use of it.

And indeed, he expertly took C.C. to the edge, but pulled her right back when she was about to fall into a blissful abyss. He would stop thrusting or slow his movements, and C.C. was too far gone to even protest. The only thing that seemed to exist was physical pleasure – that and the immeasurable love she had for the man who was skilfully worshiping her body.

She loved him so much...

And he loved her. Just as much, it seemed. And for her, that was the only thing that truly mattered.

"Niles... God... please!" she whimpered as he stopped moving just as she was about to come.

"What do you want?" he said softly, too lost in his own pleasure.

"Please..." C.C. felt like her body couldn't take this for longer – she needed to come.

"Tell me what you want!"

"I... I need to come... please... Niles... now!" she cried out, and Niles – who had an impish smirk practically stuck to his face – complied with her wish.

He fastened the pace until he was ramming into her, and using his lips to muffle her cries of ecstasy.

"Niles!" C.C. cried out as she finally got to her powerful (and blissful) culmination alongside him.

And as he emptied himself inside her, he pressed his lips, hard, against her neck, collapsing on top of her from exhaustion and the effort. The kind of effort he would make every day for the rest of his life if it was allowed, as long as he could pleasure her like he had just done.

He was truly spent, and after a few moments in which he caught back some of his breath, he rolled over and off C.C., allowing her to shift so that she could snuggle against his side. He could still feel his heart racing, and hers too. That truly had been a vigorous and passionate session...not that every session wasn't vigorous and passionate, but something about it made them both feel like that particular one had had an extra layer of meaning to it.

Maybe it was because they had talked everything through and cleared the air. Maybe it was because it had been their first in a while, after everything that had gone on. Maybe it was because they were getting married, and they were excited for the fact that they could spend every night for the rest of their lives exactly the way they were, right then.

Or maybe it was a combination of all those things. It didn't really matter.

Niles angled his head, and pressed his lips against C.C.'s forehead, "I love you, so much."

"I love you too," she murmured in reply. "And I must say, that was quite a way to make up."

Niles grinned, "The best way to make up. I'll tell you what: any time we argue from now on, we be sure to talk everything through properly, and then we make up like this. Deal?"

"Deal," C.C. said giving Niles a kiss on the cheek. "But now I think the best thing to do is rest," she gently began stroking his chest and smiling impishly. "Amelia has school tomorrow, so we have an entire day to continue "making up"."

Niles chuckled as he carefully disentangled himself from her and moved to the door so as to unlock it. They also got back into their pyjamas – it wasn't like they could be completely naked in case Amelia needed them during the night!

"That sounds like a wonderful plan to me!" he said as they slipped into bed and he wrapped the covers around them both.

As usual, C.C. nestled herself against his side and rested her head in the crook of his neck – it was her favourite position to sleep in; it made her feel... safe. And loved.

"I love you," C.C. whispered against his skin.

It wasn't hard to detect the trace of her old fears – the fears that had caused them to fight in the first place. It wasn't that she still thought that Niles didn't love her, but rather she was afraid of having doubted him in the first place.

But they weren't going to go back there – not after this.

Instead, Niles simply held C.C. closer to him and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head.

"And I love you too," he said just as softly. "Goodnight, Babs."

C.C. sighed contentedly and finally allowed herself to close her eyes. "Goodnight, Hazel."

And so, the newly engaged couple drifted into the most peaceful sleep they'd had in a long while.

* * *

 **AN: And there you have it! We hope you've enjoyed the chapter :) We'd love to get your reviews!**


	14. Chapter 14

**_Chapter 13_**

Ever since C.C. had accepted Niles' proposal, C.C.'s mansion – or rather, _their_ mansion – had been enfolded in an atmosphere of happiness, love and jubilation. The news was wonderful, and it was thoroughly celebrated by family and friends alike. There was a wedding in sight, and everyone wanted to participate in the happy occasion. But they weren't in a rush – the holidays and Amelia's seventh birthday had come first, and only then had they started planning the wedding.

Needless to say, Fran Sheffield had practically forced the engaged couple to accept her help in the planning of the wedding. They had to admit having both a hired wedding planner and a former one helping them had its pros, but sometimes the brunette could get a little overexcited when it came to weddings.

Amelia was also eager to help, so after the holidays and her birthday had passed, the girl had focused her energies in helping with the preparations Thus, it was no surprise that the little child, who was currently sat on Fran's lap, was discussing her ideas for the wedding with Fran as she drew how she'd like her own dress to be. Meanwhile, Maxwell, C.C. and Niles were all sat at the table, having coffee and pretending to chat. In reality, they were overhearing the conversation between Fran and Amelia – the latter had a lot of implausible but adorable ideas – like wanting a thousand doves to be released as her Mommy and Niles walked out of the church.

"And what are you drawing now?" Fran asked, stroking the girl's long, hazel hair. It cascaded down her back in ringlets.

"Mommy's wedding dress, see?" she pointed at a strapless, white gown she was sketching. "We are going dress shopping tomorrow and maybe we can find something similar to my drawings!"

"That is very nice, Mia," Fran said, hugging the girl as her eyes wandered over the page. "And you drew Niles's tux, too!"

"Yes! I drew Mommy and Daddy's clothes," the girl absentmindedly replied as she kept drawing with a firm and steady hand.

Fran stopped, her eyes widening. Maxwell's head snapped up from where he was watching Eve sort through crayons. Niles' mouth fell open. C.C. choked on her coffee.

And then everything in the room sped up. Fran looked up at her husband, who nodded, and after Fran had given Mia a kiss on her head and settled her down on the sofa, they quickly gathered their children and finished their coffees (doing so in such a way as to not make their exit look hurried), before thanking their hosts and setting off on their way, suggesting that, next time, everyone should come over to the Sheffield mansion instead.

And the couple was left alone with Mia.

Mia, who had called Niles her daddy.

C.C. didn't know how it was possible. She'd never called Niles that in front of her – she'd never said it aloud. He knew Niles wanted to be with her and to help her look after Amelia, but that didn't necessarily mean he wanted the title of "father". It might make him uncomfortable. He might think he was being forced into a role that he didn't ask for, or even want to take...

It hurt to think that he might not want to be a family like that, especially after having just overcome the fears caused by their last fight, but it was his decision. She knew he wanted them and that he loved Amelia, but being actually called the girl's father was quite a big step. One that she didn't know if he wanted (or if he was ready) to take.

And she couldn't tell what he was thinking, perhaps for the first time in her life. He was staring at Amelia.

She reached out, tentatively, and rested a hand on his shoulder, "I never called you that in front of her, I swea-"

Her words were cut off by his own hand reaching up to take hers.

C.C. swallowed. Her mind was racing a hundred miles per second, producing images of what would surely happen next.

He'd tell her he didn't want her excuses. He'd tell her this was too much for him. He'd tell her he needed some space and everything they had been working for, would come crashing down. And Amelia... Amelia would have lost the man she clearly felt was her father.

She didn't want to think about it, and a few tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

"Niles, I swear, I-"

He squeezed her hand once again and turned to look at her; his eyes widened a little when he realised she was on the verge of tears.

"Relax," he cupped her cheek with her hand and brushed away the free falling droplets. "I know you didn't," he moved his chair closer to hers and he hugged her. "May I speak with Amelia? Straightforwardly?"

C.C. gulped once again. She had no idea what he was going to tell her, but she owed this to him. She knew he would be kind and loving with her daughter – he had always been – but she couldn't help the fear.

"Alright," she whispered against her better judgment. "Talk to her."

Niles gave her a soft smile and got to his feet. He wandered over towards where the child sat and took her in his arms. The child giggled and threw her arms around his neck.

"Amelia, can we talk for a moment?" Niles said, setting her down in his lap.

"Sure, Niles!" she said with a smile, although the tone in her voice suggested she was nervous.

"Good," he clutched her hand in his. "Amelia, did you just call me Daddy?"

The girl's brow furrowed and she remained silent for a few moments, a thoughtful look on her face. It was almost as though she was thinking back about what she'd said in the past few minutes, and suddenly, her smile fled from her face and she looked away. He knew it had just dawned on her what she'd done, and he understood her discomfort. So he didn't pressure her into answering him, but he did tighten his grip on her hand.

"Yes," Amelia eventually choked out, her voice sounding just as scared as her mother's. "I did."

Niles nodded. "Okay... so you did call me your Daddy?"

After a moment, Amelia shook her head yes.

"Was it by accident?"

The girl nodded affirmatively again.

"And tell me…" he took a deep, calming breath and gently tipped Amelia's chin upwards so she'd look at him. "Would you like to call me Daddy? All the time?"

She stopped to consider, but ended up shaking her head. "I don't want to just call you Daddy... I want you to be my Daddy."

And Niles felt his heart swell in his chest.

He'd thought that he'd be able to get the chance to really be a father figure to Amelia. He was going to be – he was marrying her mother, after all. But he had also thought that, maybe, where they were right now was where it was going to end.

He thought he'd do all the things he could for her, but maybe never be able to cross the boundary. A stepfather, and that only. A very loving and good stepfather, he'd hope, but still...nothing more than that.

He thought he'd watch the little girl in his lap grow, continuing to call him "Niles" as years went past, and without even meaning to, letting him know that he wasn't related to her. He wasn't her father. Even though he so desperately wanted to be.

But she wanted it, too. She wanted him to be her father! And he couldn't help the tears in his eyes at her confession. She truly was the sweetest little girl alive, and he counted himself lucky that she wanted him in her life.

But there was C.C. to consider, too. She'd seemed panicked when Mia had first said those words that were still blissfully swimming around in his head. Maybe she had been hoping that being a stepfather would be enough for him? They hadn't exactly discussed how he would fit in when it came to Amelia...

He looked up, towards where she was studying them intently, and asked, "And what does your Mommy say?"

"Yeah, Mommy!" Mia piped up excitedly, spinning to face C.C.. "Can Niles be my Daddy? He's marrying you so he can, can't he?"

"I don't know, sweetie," the blonde choked out, failing to hide her tears. If they were from stress or joy, she couldn't tell. "That is not my decision to make – it's yours and Niles'."

C.C. swallowed a lump in her throat as she got to her feet and moved to the armchair before the sofa. He plopped herself down onto it as she wiped away a few tears.

She didn't know how Niles felt about it, but what she did know, was that he was asking for her opinion on the matter. She had to make him understand that there was nothing more she desired than him to be Amelia's father, but he wasn't forced to take that place if he didn't want to.

She had always wanted to give her daughter a father, and she had hoped that a stepfather would be enough for her, but if Niles wanted to take that role, then she'd be the happiest woman in the world. There was no man better suited than Niles to father Amelia, but it all lay upon him.

"I'd be honoured and thankful to call you the father of my child. You've always treated her as your own, but it's your choice, not mine. Whatever option you decide, it will be okay for me," C.C. said, smiling.

Niles (who was crying, too) felt relieved. She was willing to let him step in and call Amelia his own! She was willing to let him be part of their family as more than just her future husband and Amelia's stepfather.

She was willing to share with him the honour of being Amelia's parent. And, he knew, Amelia was the most precious thing in C.C.'s life. It had been just the two of them for years, so her willingness to let him be her father was humbling.

But, as she had said, it was his and Amelia's decision to make. C.C. had already given her permission, so now it was a matter of talking things out with Amelia. He looked down at the girl, who had just laid her head on his shoulder. He hugged her even tighter.

"So, now that your Mommy said yes, do you want me to be your Daddy?"

"Yes," the girl replied instantly. "I want you to be my Daddy. Can you be my Daddy? And can I be your daughter?"

He felt more tears rolling down his cheeks, and he nodded against her hair, "Of course you can be my daughter, sweetheart. I'd like nothing better than to be your Daddy."

Amelia pulled away sharply, looking up at him in the purest delight he'd ever seen, "You mean it?!"

He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing against her cheek. Her eyes – his eyes, he thought, even if they weren't given to her by him – were shining, and he thought the girl might start crying too.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," he barely managed to get out. "What kind of Daddy would I be if I said something like that and didn't mean it?"

Amelia's face slowly spread back into a beaming smile, and she threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. Niles wrapped his arms around her back, and held her close.

"I love you...Daddy," Mia mumbled against the fabric of his shirt.

Niles smiled into her hair, "I love you too, sweetheart."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see C.C. watching, and he gently unwound one of his arms from... _their_...daughter, to open up an invitation for her to join them. C.C. got to her feet, edged round the coffee table that separated the armchair from the sofa and sat down next to her fiancé and their daughter.

 _Their Amelia._

She allowed Niles to wrap his free arm around her while she held him and Amelia with her own. The feeling of peace and love was enfolding them like a blanket, and none of them wished to move from the space they were occupying right then.

They were a family. They had finally found each other and had begun a new chapter together.

C.C. couldn't believe just how lucky she was.

"I love you both so much," she choked out, more tears rolling down her cheeks. She craned her neck forward and kissed Amelia's cheek before pecking Niles' lips.

"And we love you," Niles replied before glancing down at Amelia. "And we, your parents, especially love you, Little One."

This was a new beginning.

A new beginning that would take them on an adventure they were eager to experience.

And adventure that was meant to be transited together.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Chapter 14_**

 ** _Creak_**

That was the sound the door made as it was slowly creaked open and a pater of a small set of feet echoed inside the room, waking Niles up. It didn't take long for him to feel a small, warm presence climbing onto the bed and snuggling against his side. He couldn't help the smile spreading across his lips as he wrapped his arms around his daughter.

"Good morning, Daddy!" Amelia said and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

 _Daddy_... he could swear the word was magical...

"Good morning to you, too, Little One," he replied, giving her a sleepy grin, and planting a kiss on her forehead. "Did you sleep okay?"

Amelia nodded, "Mm-hm. But I was hungry, so I got up."

"Oh, you want some breakfast?" he rubbed her arm, and she nodded in return. He slowly began to rise into a sitting position. "Well, I can certainly fix that. How about some scrambled eggs?"

"Sounds perfect," answered a voice from the other side of the bed with a stretch.

Niles smirked. In his state of half-sleep, he hadn't realised his fiancée wasn't awake yet. C.C. rolled over, and stuck her tongue out. He pretended to look unimpressed, and Amelia clambered over him to hug her mother.

"Morning, Mommy!"

"Good morning, sweetie," C.C. carefully sat up, and kissed her daughter's cheek. "You excited to go dress shopping today?"

"Yeah!" Amelia beamed. "Your dress is gonna look super pretty!"

"You think so?" C.C. raised an eyebrow and held her daughter's hands. "Let's hope it does. They cost lots of money. I'm counting on you to help me pick a nice one."

"Of course I'll help, Mommy," Amelia nodded, before looking quickly at Niles and then back at her again. "Is Daddy coming, too?"

C.C. frowned a little and shook her head, "No, sorry, honey. Daddy can't come. It's a rule; he's not allowed to see me in my dress until the day we get married."

"Why?" Amelia asked climbing back onto her father's lap, using her hands to brush a few curls away from her eyes.

"Because it's bad luck!" C.C. replied, propping a few pillows behind her back and lying back against them. "And we wouldn't want to be unlucky, now would be?"

"Nope!" Amelia smiled and jumped out of bed, her stomach growling. Her father followed her (not before giving C.C. a good morning kiss, of course) and helped her into her robe and to put on her slippers – it was chilly downstairs, and he didn't want Amelia to catch a cold. "I want it to be the best day ever!"

"And I am sure it will be," Niles said as she ushered Amelia towards the door. "But if we want to get to that day, we need to eat. So, chop-chop, off we go!"

Amelia giggled and ran to the kitchen, skidding to an abrupt halt and nearly bumping against the fridge in her excitement.

The next few weeks were going to be filled with excitement for the young girl. Not only would they be getting her mother's wedding dress and her own dress for the ceremony, but also both she and her Mommy were planning a very special gift for her Daddy as a belated Father's day present.

She'd couldn't wait to give it to her Daddy, but they still had to wait a few days. Amelia allowed Niles to help her put on an apron as she was lost in her thoughts, and then they began cooking their breakfast. She even prepared C.C.'s coffee and Niles' tea before helping her Daddy put everything on a tray so they could take their breakfast upstairs.

After their tummies were filled, Niles took care of washing the cutlery while Amelia and C.C. got ready to head out.

Now that Amelia was seven years old, she was more independent, and one of the ways she showed her new found "independence" was by choosing the clothes she'd wear that day on her own. She didn't require C.C.'s or Niles' help to get dressed, except when it came to tying her shoelaces, but she was learning to do that on her own, too. That day she'd chosen to wear a pair of white jeans, a baby-pink cashmere sweater with a matching scarf and her favourite boots.

She looked beautiful...

Or at least that's what both of her parents thought as she climbed down the stairs and scurried towards the car.

"Someone is eager, it seems," Niles joked, curling an arm around C.C.'s waist.

"She's not the only one, I can assure you," the blonde replied.

Niles chuckled, and held her tighter briefly, "I suppose that makes the three of us then, doesn't it? I can't wait until I can officially call you my wife."

"It does have a nice sound to it, doesn't it?" C.C. leaned into his embrace, putting her arms around his middle. "A nice feel..."

"Indeed it does," he agreed. "And everything we're doing to lead up to it is causing all kinds of excitement. Especially in our little one."

C.C. turned her eyes back to their daughter, waiting patiently over by the car, apparently bouncing on her heels.

"She's never been to a wedding before, and never been a bridesmaid," C.C. stared after their daughter, pride in her eyes. "She wants it to be the best experience."

"And it will be," Niles said. "We wouldn't make it anything less."

"And this is just the start of the final stretch," C.C. turned her gaze to him, some sort of teasing spark in her eyes. "So let's hope it continues as well as it has been going. Can you imagine if we didn't find the right one? Our daughter's memory of our wedding day being marred by seeing her mother walk down the aisle in something that looks like a pile of old drapes?"

He wanted to say that she could never look hideous, and that she could walk down the aisle in an old potato sack and still look like the most sublime creature on Earth, but she'd accuse him of being an old sap and then the zingers would start and no one would get anywhere. Instead, he just chuckled.

"It's going to look marvellous," he squeezed her hip affectionately. "I can't wait to see you in it."

Checking that Amelia was out of earshot, C.C. smirked back at him, "You can't wait to see me out of it."

Niles considered for a moment, before flashing his lopsided grin at her, "Well, that too. But to get to that part, the wedding actually has to happen, doesn't it?"

C.C. pursed her lips, pretending to think, "Not necessarily."

He laughed again, and pecked her on the lips, "Go on, now. Our daughter is waiting for you to take her dress shopping."

C.C. pretended to look disappointed, but unwound her arms from around his middle and began to make her way down to where Amelia was waiting, "Alright. We'll be back later. I'll call and let you know if we're having lunch out, in case shopping takes longer than we previously thought."

"Alright, love," he grabbed her waist and pulled her to him so he could give him one last kiss. She giggled and swatted at his hands, but accepted the kiss nonetheless.

She gave him a kiss of her own and climbed onto the driver's seat. Mother and daughter waved at the butler before C.C. turned on the engine and pulled out of the driveway. C.C. had an appointment at one of the most exclusive wedding dress stores in New York, courtesy of her mother, who had phoned a few of her friends and gotten C.C. first in the waiting list.

She knew they were rigorous about keeping the appointments to the hour, and walk-ins were strictly prohibited. It was lucky that her mother had such a prominent surname such as Babcock!

When C.C. finally managed to find a parking space, she helped her daughter out of her seat and both mother and daughter walked into the bridal shop, hand in hand.

"Hello, how might I help you?" a middle-aged bridal dress consultant said.

"Hello, I am C.C. Babcock, I believe I have an appointment at 11 o' clock?" the blonde said.

The saleswoman's eyes widened – it wasn't every day that a Babcock walked into the store! Clients like C.C. were the most valuable ones, not only because they couldn't care less about the price of the dress, but also because they had a number of equally rich friends who could need dresses too. The better the service, the greater the possibility of being recommended.

"And I am Amelia Babcock!" the child exclaimed, waving at the older woman. "I am the bridesmaid!"

C.C. chuckled. The pride with which her daughter spoke was absolutely endearing to her.

The saleswoman smiled, humouring the girl, "How do you do, Miss? Are you ready to find your bridesmaid's dress today as well?"

"Yes," Amelia nodded, and leaned against her mother as C.C. slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"Excellent. I'm sure we have something to suit the pair of you," the saleswoman folded her hands in front of her. "My name is Madeleine, and if you ladies would care to follow me to the back, I believe a selection may have already been prepared by the person who made the reservation."

She turned on her heel, and began to head towards the back of the luxurious looking store. Growing excited, mother and daughter followed.

C.C. realised that she probably should have guessed her mother would have most likely reserved at least half a dozen dresses for the pair of them to try out.

Madeleine led them into a back room – a dressing room, of a sort. At least, that's what it would be called if it were smaller. It just seemed to be another part of the store, simply separated by a door. There were several rooms off the main area, and each seemed to be stocked with dresses – both for brides and their bridesmaids. The main area had some comfortable seating, and several mirrors, so dresses could be examined from different angles.

Madeleine gestured towards one of the smaller rooms in the far corner, which C.C. could see was filled with dresses, ready and waiting on their hangars, "Everything in that room there has been reserved for your approval."

"Thank you very much," C.C. said as both she and Amelia crossed the dressing room in a few quick strides.

The small room was stacked with different kinds of dresses, and seeing as it would be far easier to choose a dress for Amelia first, C.C. encouraged her child to go into the room and go over the different dresses.

The little girl nodded and closed the door behind her. C.C. could soon hear the sound of fabric rustling and of zippers being lowered.

"Which one should I get, Mommy? There are too many!" Amelia cried out. "Granny chose, like, seven dresses!"

C.C. stifled a laugh. Her mother had a tendency to go overboard, but the fact her mother's excitement was caused by her impending wedding instead of by her own selfish motivations was somewhat... _endearing…_ to the former producer. "Just choose the three dresses you like the most and try them on! We'll pick out the prettiest."

"Okay, Mommy," came Amelia's reply.

Moments later, Amelia emerged from the changing room wearing a crème-coloured dress with an empire waistline. It was made of satin and reached her knee caps. The off-shoulder neckline was embroidered with pearls and so was the lace at the bottom end of the dress.

It wasn't ugly, by any means, but it wasn't quite... _right_ , either. It was pretty, but it didn't enchant her.

And it didn't enchant Amelia, either. At least that's what she suspected judging by the way she grimaced when she looked at herself in the mirror.

"You don't like it?" C.C. asked.

"Not really..." Amelia replied. "I mean, I don't like when I have it on."

"I don't like it either," C.C. agreed. "Try the other ones!"

And so Amelia went back inside the changing room, and after a few minutes she came back out again. The dress was similar to the first one, only it was baby-pink and it reached her ankles. It also had a bateau neckline, and it didn't really suit Amelia.

Having discarded the second option, Amelia went back into the changing room.

C.C. waited, eventually hearing the rustling of more fabric. It felt like this might take a while, and she hoped that Amelia had found a dress that she really liked. She didn't think B.B. would be upset if she didn't like any of the choices, but C.C. was concerned that getting more appointments in different places might be difficult, even with the family name, and the closer they left it to the wedding date, the less time they had...

Eventually the door opened again.

C.C. looked up, having been staring at the carpet, and what she saw, in her mind, was perfect.

The burgundy dress came below Amelia's knees, ending about mid-way down her calf, and as C.C. stood up to take a closer look, she realised the bodice had a lace covering that extended into three-quarter-length sleeves, in a delicate floral pattern. It was tied at the waist with a ribbon the same colour as the dress.

"How does it look, Mommy?" Mia asked, spinning to show her the bow on the back of the dress. "I think it's really pretty!"

"It's beautiful!" C.C. exclaimed, clasping her hands together and jolting to her feet. She walked around Amelia, just taking in every detail of both her beautiful daughter and the beautiful dress. She crouched down and hugged her baby girl.

She had grown an awful lot these past two years and now she reached her hips. Time was flying past, and sometimes she wished she could stop it.

"You are beautiful," C.C. said and she gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you Mommy!" Amelia hugged her back. "I think I found my dress."

"I think so, too," C.C. said and she got back to her feet. "I think it's time that I try and find my own, don't you think?"

Amelia nodded enthusiastically.

"Very well. Put your clothes back on so I can go into the changing room myself," C.C. said and Amelia obeyed.

A few minutes later, C.C. was perusing the different dresses that her mother had selected for her. She had to admit they were all tasteful, beautiful and elegant; they all counted with a Basque waistline, although the necklines were different.

However, unlike what had happened with Amelia, when C.C.'s eyes rested on the fifth dress her mother had chosen, she simply knew it was _the one_.

 _That_ had to be her dress.

Porcelain white, with an open back and the bateau neckline sweeping up and over to join underneath the ribbon belt at the back, and a long but not overly extended train...

She knew. The second she saw, she knew.

She slipped it on, leaving her clothes neatly folded on the chair they provided in the room, and opened the door a crack.

"Okay, Mia, I'm coming out," she called.

She wanted her daughter to see her as she came in. Amelia's approval was everything, and even though she knew in her heart that she wanted this dress, she felt that her little girl could probably change her mind with just one awkward look.

Taking in another breath to calm herself, she opened the door fully, and stepped into the other room.

Mia's face broke into the widest smile as she took in her mother's form.

"You look amazing, Mommy!" she leapt off the seat and rushed over to examine every detail. "Like a real princess!"

"Oh, thank you, sweetie!" C.C. looked down at herself, the dress feeling just as right on her as it had looked when it was with the others. "Do you think this should be the dress I get married in?"

"Yes! I love the dress!" Amelia said, running her hand over the train. It was soft... so very soft. And very, very beautiful, too.

"So are we sure these are the ones we are taking?" C.C. gestured between her dress and Amelia's, which she had left neatly folded on one of the many seats in the dressing room.

The girl nodded, wandering over to where her dress was and taking it in her arms. She wanted to put it back on already, but she knew her Mommy had explained that she couldn't let Niles see her or her Mommy's dress before the ceremony.

"Okay," C.C. walked back into the changing room and closed the door behind her. "I'll just take this off and we'll get going."

After C.C. had changed back into her day clothes, she called for the assistant and handed her the two dresses so they could be folded and packed.

Mother and daughter then made their way back to the front desk so C.C. could pay for the two dresses.

That was, until the sales assistant mentioned that they had already been paid for.

"What do you mean?" C.C. asked. "Who paid for them?"

"According to our records, Mrs Barbara Beatrice Babcock paid for them in advance."

"Oh..." C.C. said softly, touched by her mother's gesture. Knowing B.B., this was one of the clearest signs that she completely accepted her marriage to Niles.

Well... as the saying goes, never look a gift horse in the mouth!

"Then I suppose everything is settled," C.C. said as she was given the bags containing her and Amelia's dresses.

Mother and daughter then said their goodbyes to the staff and left the store, back to their Butler Boy and to their happy home.

 **AN: Hey there! We wanted to give you two chapters in a row because H is finally going back home to the UK after spending a year abroad in California, so it might be a bit difficult to upload in the next few days. We'll try to upload a few more chapters before she travels, though.**

 **As always, we hope you've liked ther chapter and we'd love your reviews!**

 **H &L **


	16. Chapter 16

**_Chapter 15_**

Niles slammed the door shut and carelessly tossed his keys in the side table in the parlour as he heaved a tired sigh. The day had been exhausting – working for Maxwell and then having a last minute meeting with the wedding planner wasn't probably the best of ideas – not to mention that the latest play of Sheffield productions was premiering that night, which had not only meant more work at the mansion, but also Maxwell had been annoyingly restless throughout the day.

He'd almost cancelled the meeting with the wedding planner…

But the wedding was drawing near, and they needed to be ready. He'd only regretted having had to attend the meeting alone; C.C. had told him she had a previous engagement she had told attend to, so he'd had to go alone.

"I'm home!" Niles announced as he took off his jacket and hung it inside the parlour closet.

Strangely enough, there was no answer.

Niles' brow furrowed. The unusual lack of noise in the house was odd, to say the least... Had C.C. and Amelia gone out? And if that was the case, where could his daughter and fiancée be?

Niles quickly covered the distance between the entrance hall and the kitchen; C.C. and Amelia sometimes spent the afternoon there if Amelia needed help with her homework. But as he discovered when he stepped a foot inside it, the kitchen was empty...

Empty… except for a manila envelope lying on top of the kitchen counter. It had his name written on it, so he took it in his hands and opened it. Inside this envelope, there was a picture of him and Amelia – the first picture of him and Amelia, in fact. He turned it around in his hand and found an inscription on the other side. It read:

 _"Remember when and where this was taken? We do! The next clue is hidden in the room where this picture was taken!"_

Niles smirked. He remembered that picture to this day...

It was a photo of them that C.C. had taken on their first Christmas morning together! He remembered he'd helped Amelia open her many gifts sat on the…

His smirk quickly widened, giving way to a satisfied smile – he had to go to the living room! More specifically, to Amelia's favourite sofa.

So, feeling both amused and oddly excited about the little treasure hunt his family clearly had planned, he made his way to the living room. It didn't take long for him to spot the envelope, propped up against the back cushion of the sofa. He tore into it excitedly, finding another photograph.

 _Amelia's birthday party_ ; a photo of the little table they'd set up outside for her and her friends to eat their food from. He turned the photo around, and read the clue.

 _"Your next clue where the game that stumped you was pinned."_

He thought back to himself, going over that whole day, and then he began to laugh out loud. He rushed outside, and sure enough, pinned to the nearest tree was the next envelope. Right where the _Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey_ game had taken place. C.C. had insisted on spinning him quite hard and a number of times, and he'd made a perfect fool of himself by not even getting the tail anywhere near its intended mark.

Well, the children had laughed, at least...

That had been the entire point of the day. And he hadn't been too bruised afterwards, so he continued to laugh to himself as he took the envelope from the tree and opened it to read.

 _"_ _Visit the room where you promised a certain Little One that you'd stay."_

Niles grimaced – he had to go to the study.

There, after a fight that he'd feared would be their last, he'd promised Amelia he'd never leave them. It had been the first time that he'd actually told Amelia just how much he loved her, and it had been the moment when he'd refused to let his family slip through his fingers, like sand would do. He was glad he'd chosen to do so, really…

And so, he took off for the study, where he found yet another manila envelope which contained his last clue. In it, he actually found a rather recent picture – it depicted him and Amelia, snuggled under the covers while he was reading her a bedtime story. He hadn't realised C.C. had taken that picture! They looked so… content in it. So at home…

Well, he was! Amelia was his little girl, after all.

He didn't even need to turn it around and read the inscription to know he was supposed to go to Amelia's room, though. And indeed, when he opened the door, he found a seemingly empty room, but right on top of Amelia's bed lay one last envelope. It was a bit bigger than the other ones…

What could it be?

Taking steady – if nervous – steps, he got to it and took it in his trembling hands. For some reason he just _knew_ that this envelope held something important – it was also heavier than the rest, and the first thing he saw as he opened it was a letter.

A handwritten letter from Amelia...

" _Daddy,_ " it read, " _we chose to give you this extraordinary surprise in an extraordinary day, because you are the most extraordinary man! We love you!"_

He smiled as he tucked the letter back inside the envelope, and pulled out a... _stack of papers_?

What was that?

And suddenly, only moments after he'd started browsing the document in his hands, Niles breath caught in his throat and his eyes welled up. The papers... the papers were...

 _Oh God..._

Amelia's adoption papers! He was actually holding Amelia´s adoption papers!

He leaned on the nightstand to prevent his legs from giving out. He couldn't help the tears forming in his eyes.

She wanted...they wanted...one swift move of a pen, and he'd be...

"You like your gift, Daddy?"

The little voice made him gasp, and he spun to look to the doorway. Amelia was there, stood in the doorway waiting for him. C.C. was stood just behind her, a beaming smile all over her face and tears in her eyes, too.

" _Like_ it?" he coughed out, turning back to the papers once more to make sure he had read them correctly. "I l _ove_ it...!"

"Are you gonna sign them?" Amelia's face was becoming a grin, but it was holding back, like she was waiting for his answer before committing herself.

With a laugh, Niles fell to his knees and opened his arms for her to come to him, "In a moment, sweetheart, once I've had a hug from my daughter!"

And so Amelia ran to him, her little arms wide open, too. They held each other tightly, almost as if never wanting to let go of her for all eternity...

She wanted him to be _her father_! She had chosen him and now, after he'd given one swift stroke of the pen, she'd be legally his. She'd be his child in every sense of the word, and he was honoured...

He'd been in her life for years now – years that, although at times they'd felt like an eternity, had flown past him in the blink of an eye. He'd seen and helped her grow; he'd grown to adore her and love her as his own, and now… now they'd become a family.

A family that would be made official with his signature.

But even before this, Amelia was his daughter... truly and really! Biology be damned! These papers were a mere formality to make official what their hearts had known all along – that Amelia was his daughter, and would be so for as long as he lived.

"I love you, Daddy," Amelia choked out, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck. "I love you... and I choose you. I will always choose you!"

Niles couldn't help the choked sob that emerged from deep within him. He was absolutely elated... and happy, and overwhelmed, and excited, and a thousand other emotions! Amelia was his child and she had chosen him over everyone else...

She had chosen him, for now and for always.

He was so caught up, he didn't register C.C. coming into the room. All he heard was her voice, when she was about two feet away.

"Can I come and join in on this at all?" her voice was thick with tears.

He didn't even reply, he just took Amelia into his arms and stood up, pulling C.C. into the hug with them. He held them tight, and breathed them in. The scent of _his family_.

His fiancée, and _their daughter_. Officially, forever.

"Thank you," his voice was a whimper, but he didn't care. He kissed the both of them on their heads, and rocked them from side to side. "Thank you so much..."

"No," C.C. replied softly, pulling them together as tightly as she could. "Thank you. For wanting us."

He had nothing to say to that – he knew he could argue forever and a day about how he was the fortunate one to be allowed into this family, but he also knew that C.C. could argue that they were the fortunate ones to have him. So he just decided that they should just agree that they were both fortunate, and enjoy the moment for all it was worth.

And it was worth a lot.

None of them knew how long they held each other, just enjoying the feeling of being a family in each other's arms, but eventually something occurred to C.C., and with laughter on her lips and tears still in her eyes, she pulled away, gesturing towards the papers that Niles still had gripped tightly in his hand.

"Well, we can't just stand here in the midst of a cry-fest all evening!" she cried. "Sign the papers, Butler Boy!"

Amelia giggled at him too, "Yeah, sign the papers, Daddy."

Niles nodded enthusiastically, and kissed her cheek soundly, before setting her back on the ground.

"Absolutely! Right away! No more hesitation!"

He crossed to the nearest flat surface – the nightstand by Amelia's bed – put the papers on it, and signed his name. He hoped his hand wasn't shaking too much for it to be read as his signature, but he couldn't help the adrenaline coursing right through him.

At last. At long last, he could call Amelia his daughter in every sense of the word. And no one could take it away from him, because she wouldn't allow it and neither would he.

He stared at the paper in wonderment – it was a mere formality, in a sense, because Amelia was his with or without papers. But it was nice to actually be her father legally speaking – to actually be able to give her his surname.

He brushed his fingers over the section where it read that henceforth Amelia's surname would be Brightmore instead of Bbacock... It almost felt like a wonderful dream, but the best part about it was that it was a reality – _his_ reality.

He had a family; a beautiful wife-to-be and beautiful child who he could love and adore for the rest of his days! He glanced back at them, not being able (nor wanting) to stop the tears leaking from his eyes and slowly running down his cheeks.

"I love you both so much..." he choked out, covering the short distance between them and holding them close to him in a tight embrace. "Thank you so much..."

He couldn't continue talking, for he was overwhelmed; instead he held his two girls tighter and just allowed himself to cry with utter joy.

"Daddy?" Amelia said timidly. "I have another surprise for you..."

Niles pulled away, his eyes red and puffy from crying, but shining and elated at the same time. "Really? Another surprise? What is it?"

"A letter..." the girl said, blushing, "I... I wrote it for you. Well… Mommy helped me a bit, but still…"

And so, Amelia opened the folded piece of paper that she'd been holding in her hand. She was rather nervous, but her Mommy had said it would be okay… She truly hoped it was! This was, after all, the first Father's Day she had a father to celebrate it with!

Before Niles had become part of their family, they'd never celebrated Father's Day for obvious reasons, but now everything had changed…

Unluckily enough, however, that year's Father's Day had gone past before he had become Amelia's father, but this was some kind of belated Father's Day gift.

Mia cleared her throat and she began,

 _"Daddy,_

 _You came into our lives by chance, and I couldn't be more thankful for it! You may not have my smile or my hair, but from the very first moment you had my heart. So I want to thank you. I want to thank you for the laughs, the fun, the hugs and kisses; but mainly, I want to thank you for loving me._

 _Happy belated Father's Day,_

 _Amelia."_

He couldn't help it. That was all far too much. His sobs grew louder, and he hugged his family even tighter. He'd keep that letter forever. He knew that as much. He'd treasure it, and look at it whenever he wanted to remind himself just exactly what it was that he had.

When they weren't there, of course. When they were, he'd be doing exactly what he was doing right then – relishing in the moment.

He shook his head at his – his! – little girl, "You don't have to thank me for loving you. What kind of father couldn't love his daughter?"

Amelia buried her face in his shoulder, "I love you, Daddy."

He rested his head against hers in reply, "I love you too, Mia. _My_ Mia."

C.C., overcome by the amount of love in the room, kissed them both – Niles on his lips and Amelia on the top of her head. She could feel her heart bursting with joy, and pride, and love, and so many other things...!

She had never imagined this would all go so well. The love of her life, the man she was supposed to marry, getting along perfectly with the daughter she never thought she'd have. That would have been enough for most. But to see them adoring each other completely, not even thinking twice about referring to each other as " _Daddy_ " and " _daughter_ "...that was something else entirely!

It was something to be celebrated.

"Why don't we all get out of here," she began to suggest, cuddling up against her fiancé and their daughter, "go out, and have a nice family dinner somewhere?"

"That sounds like a plan!" Niles said, pecking his fiancée's lips.

But before any of them had made a move, a lightbulb ignited inside his head. He remembered Maxwell saying he'd be going to the theatre that night! It was the opening of one of his plays, after all, and as usual, they'd been invited.

Granted, C.C. had refrained from attending Broadway premieres since having Amelia – after all, the press didn't really know about the once feared Bitch of Broadway having had a daughter with an unknown man, and she'd wanted to keep it that way – but seeing as the girl was older and that this was a special occasion, she might cave in.

"Actually, I have a suggestion to make," Niles said, smiling. "Remember that Mr Sheffield is attending a premiere today?" he waited until both C.C. and Amelia had nodded before he continued, "Well, he told me we were invited, too! So what do you say if we go to the theatre tonight, hm? We just have to call him and tell him we are coming! Afterwards, we could come home and I'll prepare you both a homemade meal!"

"That would be so cool!" Amelia shrieked, happiness practically bursting from her chest. She turned to her mother and wrapped her arms around her neck as she gave her a pleading look. "Mommy, can we go see a play? _Please_?"

C.C. pursed her lips, unsure. A premiere? On Broadway? She didn't know...

Going back to her old world had been something that she had refused to do – both due to Amelia and due to her mental stability. Now that she was a mother she simply didn't want to deal with the stress of being a producer – and specially a producer with her reputation...

But as she looked between Amelia and Niles, both giving her pleading looks, she began to relent. Eight years had gone past since she'd been in the media spotlight, so could it really be that bad to go back for just one night?

It would be nice to go out, and have a relaxing time watching a show. And they'd be with their friends, laughing and having a good time...

The Sheffields wouldn't let anything horrendously bad happen. And besides, she had survived far worse! She'd grown as a person, so perhaps it was time to prove it. Amelia had asked as well, after all. And she seemed to want to go more than anything!

One night wouldn't hurt. It couldn't.

"Alright," she nodded, smiling at her family. "We'll go to the play!"

"Yes!" Amelia cheered, reaching forward and using one of her arms to hug her mother. "Thank you, Mommy!"

C.C. hugged her daughter in reply, laughing softly, "That's okay, sweetie! Now, come on; if we're going to a big Broadway show, we're gonna have to dress right!"

She lifted the little girl out of Niles' arms and lowered her onto the floor. If they were going to do this, they were going to go the whole way.

After all, the opening night of a new show on Broadway required something special.

"What's say you and I leave Daddy to get himself ready, and I help you pick out a pretty dress for the night, hm?"

"Sure!" Amelia then grabbed Niles hand and practically dragged him out of the room, babbling about him having to call the Sheffields and having to hurry up and put on his suit. He could only let her, of course, and he gave C.C. a wink before both father and daughter disappeared down the hallway.

C.C. chuckled softly as she walked to Amelia's closet and began browsing through it. Her little girl had numerous dresses – each more expensive than the next one – but she knew exactly what dress she wanted. It was a beautiful midnight-blue Gucci frock that her mother had gifted Amelia for her last birthday.

Seeing as it was an outrageously expensive garment, C.C. had wanted to find a special occasion for Amelia to wear it. And this, she supposed, counted as an important occasion indeed.

She'd found and taken it out of her closet by the time Amelia returned to the room, and she quickly helped her child get dressed, combining the frock with a white blazer, a white pantyhose and a pair of blue ballerina flats. She then did her hair and allowed her to put on the diamond pendant Stewart had gifted her last Christmas.

She looked gorgeous!

C.C. took a step back to admire her handiwork with pride, "There. And you look absolutely beautiful, sweetie."

"Thank you, Mommy," Amelia grinned as she twirled back and forth in her little dress. But then she seemed to remember something, and began to bounce up and down in her excitement. "But now it's your turn! You have to go and get your pretty dress!"

"That it is," a voice from the door agreed, and both mother and daughter looked up.

Niles looked rather distinguished, C.C. thought, in his black tie suit. He seemed to know it, as well, from the way he straightened his tie with a smirk.

She wandered over to help him with it, "You don't think I can pull off going in just like this?"

"You can try," Niles replied jokingly. "But if you get stopped by security, Amelia and I won't wait and miss the play."

"Yeah we will!" Amelia began laughing again, coming over to take her Daddy's hand. "We wouldn't leave Mommy behind!"

Niles looked between them for a few seconds, apparently considering, and then he smiled.

"No, I suppose not," he pretended to relent, and squeezed his daughter's hand. "And you look exactly like the pretty princess you are, Mia!"

"But now it's the queen's turn to put on her outfit," Amelia said, causing both parents to smile down at her adoringly. She was such a sweet little girl...

"Indeed!" Niles said. "Do you want to help Mommy out?"

"Mh-hm!" Amelia shook her head yes. "Just like she helped me!"

"Very well, sweetie! Let's go to my room then," C.C. took Amelia's hand and both mother and daughter quickly scurried into Niles and C.C.'s room, whispering about the possible dressed that C.C. could wear.

It was almost half an hour until the door reopened and a giggling Amelia ran out of it in search of her father. The latter had taken the time to phone the Sheffields and tell them they were coming; Maxwell had been truly pleased when he'd heard about C.C. finally taking on one of his invitations!

"She's ready!" Amelia called from the top of the staircase as she made her way downstairs.

Trailing a little behind her, came a tall, curvaceous figure – Niles simply couldn't help but gape when his eyes drank on his fiancée's beauty...

Just like their daughter, she'd chosen to wear a midnight-blue Alexander McQueen gown which was cut to the waist, had a bateau neckline and reached the floor. He could see the tip of her Chanel heels peering out from underneath the fabric of her dress, and her long neck was decorated with a gorgeous pendant in white gold with a simple Akoya cultured pearl and a round brilliant diamond. She was also wearing a white wrap to protect herself from the cold.

She was absolutely stunning.

"I'd ask how I looked, but I think that expression says it all," C.C. grinned, still making her way down the stairs.

"You know me too well," Niles took his fiancée's hand as she made her way towards him.

"And lucky for you that I do," she smirked in return, squeezing his hand as she came to stand by the front door, taking a matching purse from a hook on the wall and slinging the strap over her shoulder. "So, are we all set and ready to go?"

Once both Niles and Amelia had affirmed that they were ready, the little family made their way out to the car.

Niles drove, and C.C. couldn't help but keep looking in the interior mirror at their little girl, bouncing in her seat. She was so excited for this evening, and C.C. couldn't really blame her. A Broadway show on its own would be thrilling, but an opening night...it took her back to the days when she was still working with Maxwell...

And that brought along a kind of familiar dread. The press would no doubt be there, and they'd have so many questions...

Where had she gone for all that time? Why had she gone? Was she planning on coming back? Who was the little girl with her? Who was the gentleman with her? What about that very obvious engagement ring on her finger?

She bit the inside of her lip. What would she say in reply? She was still, to many, the Bitch of Broadway. But she wasn't sure she felt like that person anymore...

Well, if she was being completely honest with herself, she knew for a fact that she wasn't that person anymore. Motherhood, for better or for worse, had changed her, and it had especially changed her priorities.

Before Amelia, C.C. hadn't cared about the consequences of chugging three glasses of whiskey in the space of thirty minutes, nor had she cared about working to the point of exhaustion. Her daughter had changed the structure of her life – she had become the centre of it, and now her work was merely a way to provide for he family.

Basically, her axis had shifted – before her mental breakdown, her life had been based in being addicted to a string of different vices and having her work as her reason of being.

But not anymore...

The only thing she cared about, was her child's happiness. Her family had truly become her everything, and it had all been thanks to Amelia.

She still remembered the shock of her positive pregnancy test – she had been terrified! She hadn't believed herself to be capable of being a good mother, especially when she hadn't had a husband to share the responsibility with, and she remembered the brief consideration she had given to aborting Amelia.

She didn't exactly know why she'd changed her mind, but she was glad she had. Actually, it was more than glad – she was thankful. Her child had grounded her; she had given balance to her life... C.C. simply couldn't imagine her life without her baby girl.

The former producer took a deep breath as she carefully traced her daughter's features with her eyes – she was gorgeous... and so alike her! Granted, there were a few things here and there (such as Amelia's eyes) that clearly weren't hers, but overall her little girl was a miniature version of her.

The press would no doubt deduce who and what Amelia was, and C.C. came to the conclusion she'd just have to bite the proverbial bullet and answer their questions as best she could.

For Amelia...

So immersed was C.C. in her musings, that she barely registered Niles' stopping the car. He'd actually found a parking space relatively near the theatre.

"Ready to go?" Niles asked, discretely reaching out for C.C.'s hand and squeezing it. He knew she needed reassurance...

She nodded, "I think I am, yeah."

For the sake of everything, she knew she'd have to be. But she'd handled the press before, and she could do it again. She just had to reach back a little, that was all. Find a little of the resolve that was still in there, somewhere.

And she had Niles there to back her up, as well as the Sheffields. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, she knew the answer was "anything and everything", but she chose to ignore that. It was more than likely nothing bad would happen, really, apart from a few invasive questions. She just had to be brave, that was all.

And if being a mother by herself had taught her one thing, it was how to be really and truly brave.

She turned back to smile at her daughter, "Are you ready, sweetie?"

Amelia almost jumped out of her seat right then and there, "Yeah! Let's go!"

C.C. chuckled, "Alright, then, we'll get going."

She undid her seatbelt, and climbed out of the car to attend to her little girl. It was early evening, and the air had a slight chill, but it was bearable.

Amelia held both her parents' hands on the way to the theatre, clearly eager to get there. She loved all forms of art as much as they did, and a night like this one was no doubt a highlight in her young life.

C.C. was scanning the crowds ahead, seeing the camera flashes go off. But she couldn't see the Sheffields just yet...

She didn't know if that was a blessing or not. Perhaps, if she was lucky, she'd be able to slip into the theatre without being noticed by the press, whereas making an entrance with the Sheffields would surely entail unwanted attention from the press...

"It's going to be okay, love," Niles murmured as he stroked her back. "I'm here for you."

C.C. tried smiling at her husband-to-be. She truly appreciated him attempting to cheer her up in times like this and it did make her feel less afraid. Whatever happened, they would face it as a family, form then onwards.

"Thank you," C.C. replied just as softly and she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

The couple shared a small private smile before continuing their way towards the crowded theatre. They actually spotted Maxwell standing right in front of the entrance door, giving an interview and allowed some pictures of him and his family to be taken.

C.C. wasn't sure if she'd stay for pictures – she was rather certain that she wouldn't, actually. The less time they spent in contact with the press, the better.

And indeed, just as she had suspected, the moment the press actually recognised her, a wave of shock briefly rendered them speechless before they charged at her with their questions.

 _"Miss Babcock! Are you here to support your former business partner Maxwell Sheffield? Does this mean that Sheffield-Babcock Productions is back together?"_

 _"Miss Babcock, where have you been for these past seven years? Is it true that your absence was as the result of a very serious bout of mental illness?"_

 _"Miss Babcock, I can't help but notice that ring on your finger! Is the gentleman you're with tonight the lucky man?"_

 _"Miss Babcock, might we be able to take a picture with you and your little girl? She is quite clearly her mother's daughter!"_

They didn't even wait for C.C.'s answer before taking a photo anyway, and Niles pulled them both away from that particular journalist and her picture-snapping lackey, before they tried anything else. A newspaper or magazine that didn't even wait for parental consent to take photos of a child was not one they really wanted to be associated with.

The door seemed so close, and yet so far. Maxwell and Fran had spotted them, and were waving, but it felt like such a distance to get through!

Especially with the media circus going on in between.

"Remember," said a low voice in her ear. "I'm right here, and you don't have to talk to them if it's all too much."

She gave Niles' hand another appreciative squeeze, nodded, and took Amelia by the hand again to stop her wandering off.

It was time to walk through, head held high. Just like she would have done eight years ago, but never forgetting the new addition to her life. This was Amelia's first contact with the press, and the girl already appeared upset by the amount of attention they were getting – perhaps it was the screamed questions, or the camera flashes, or perhaps it was both, but C.C. just knew the girl didn't really want to be there for longer than necessary.

"Come on, sweetie," C.C. finally said, lifting Amelia in her arms as she strode towards the entrance door. "We have nothing to say!"

She said that last part loud enough for the rest of the journalists to hear, although that didn't discourage them from firing question after question, and taking picture after picture of them. C.C. actually tried to cover Amelia's little face as best she could, and Niles aided her by putting himself in between Amelia and the press.

 _"Miss Babcock, how is your little girl called?"_

 _"Miss Babcock, is she the reason why you kept a low profile all this years?"_

 _"Miss Babcock, might we be allowed to know who your child's father is?"_

And for some reason that upset C.C. greatly. _How could they?_ How could they have the nerve to ask such a thing?! She wasn't telling them – she knew their games, and she wasn't going to take part in any of them anymore.

She wasn't telling anything about Amelia's origins, but she'd make a point – a statement against their constant meddling in her own life.

She handed Amelia to Niles, who understood what she was doing and backed off a little so that they could start to head for the entrance to the theatre, whilst she took care of the vultures circling behind them.

"No you may not!" she shouted, loud enough for all to hear. "My child is not your business – she does not exist to sell papers, she is here to have a good time. Nothing about her, from her name, to who her father is, is going to be printed by any single magazine or newspaper here tonight! If it happens, and if I find out about it, you will be very sorry indeed. Find someone else's life to interfere with, because you've had your fun with mine, but you will not touch my daughter's!"

She then turned on her heel and joined her fiancé and their daughter, who were almost where the Sheffields were waiting.

Niles slipped an arm around her waist as she got close, "That was absolutely brilliant!"

"You think so?" C.C. didn't feel entirely so sure, even if the journalists had gone back to bothering the rest of the people coming to watch the performance that evening.

"Of course I do," Niles squeezed her hip, and they began to wander over to meet with Maxwell and Fran. "You showed them that you weren't about to be cowed by their questions. No matter what's changed in these past few years, that's still the C.C. Babcock I know."

C.C. mustered a half smile. Part of her didn't feel like the same woman – she wasn't the same woman. This – Broadway and the media circus it entailed – wasn't her world anymore. It was her past. A past she had no desire to go back to.

She was merely there to watch a play as a celebration of Amelia's adoption and because her daughter had asked to go. Nothing more.

"Thanks," C.C. muttered, resting against her fiancé's side. "Let's go inside, okay?"

"Alright. We are almost there love..."

After they had greeted the Sheffields (and after C.C. had refused to pose for a picture with Maxwell) the two families moved inside. Niles and Fran went to buy some treats for the children whilst Maxwell and C.C. got them settled in their seats.

"Mommy?" Amelia spoke softly when C.C. sat down in the seat next to hers.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why were all those people taking pictures of us? Do you know them? And why did they ask about me?"

The girl was sensible enough to whisper the string of questions loudly enough so that only her mother would hear. It wouldn't do them any good if someone else did, and despite her short age Amelia was perfectly aware of this.

C.C. frowned. She had been hoping to keep all of this as far away from Amelia as possible. She had left her old life behind, and she didn't want her daughter exposed to it. She didn't want her daughter thinking about the kind of person she used to be. She herself didn't want to think about the kind of person she used to be. Niles might have been proud of her for displaying the same strength as before, but...she just didn't know. It felt different, like it was a different, more protective kind of strength.

It was the kind of protection which was going to make this hard to explain.

"Those...were newspaper people, sweetie," she began gently with a sigh. "And yes, in a way I do know them."

"Really?" Amelia's eyes were wide. C.C. could see them in the dark.

C.C. nodded, looking away. She suddenly felt embarrassed, even though she knew she had to continue.

"Yes. When...I worked with Uncle Maxwell, I came across people who worked for magazines and newspapers a lot," she explained. "They all knew me, and wanted interviews and my time. I was very well known in New York. But I when I went away, I gave it all up. I didn't really enjoy their attention. They'd ask me questions all the time, and not let me have any peace. I felt better without them in my life."

She did feel better without all of it. She felt better knowing that her daughter was never going to be hounded, like she was. Better that Amelia grow up having her own life, instead of everything that could possibly be thrown across the front cover of a newspaper.

She had to make her understand that, too, in case she asked more questions.

"And I still feel better. I feel better with our family just the way it is. No attention that we don't want from newspaper people," she said, before pausing. "You like our family the way it is, right? Nobody asking us questions all the time."

Amelia nodded as her little feet dangled from the edge of her seat. She felt oddly uncomfortable talking about this – maybe she shouldn't have asked about it! Her Mommy didn't like talking about it, and she hadn't wanted to upset her.

"Yeah..." the little girl mumbled, casting her eyes down. "I like it better this way."

C.C. frowned. Amelia was upset; she could easily tell so. Her girl knew she didn't like talking about the past and she was probably feeling guilty for having asked her to do just that. She couldn't allow that something like this ruined the night for them! Amelia had just been adopted! It was a time for celebration and happiness; she'd be damned if the night was marred due to the journalistic equivalent of leeches.

C.C. got back to her feet and hoisted Amelia in her arms. She then gave her a kiss on the cheek and allowed her girl to wrap her arms around her neck.

"I like it this way too," C.C. said softly and used one of her hands to stroke her daughter's back. "Now, what do you say if we sit down and you stay in my lap for a little while, hm? If you want you can go to Daddy's lap when he comes back, or stay in mine or go back to your seat! Whatever you like the most."

C.C. sat back down on her seat and snuggled Amelia close to her. The girl tucked her head in the crook of her neck and C.C. kept lovingly stroking her little back.

"Does that sound okay, Mia?"

"Yeah," Mia mumbled again from somewhere down below her.

C.C. kissed her head. She really and truly hoped she hadn't sounded too harsh. She had only been asking a question, after all. And Amelia wasn't to know that the reporters were the entire reason C.C. had been upset.

She was only a little girl, how could she? She wasn't around when C.C. had been in the spotlight properly. It was a good thing, too. Otherwise she would probably have heard a lot of language that her mother would otherwise keep out of earshot.

"I love you, sweetie," she whispered, hugging her daughter tighter, hoping she hadn't ruined the entire evening with a little comment that she hadn't really even meant to say. She'd just been so annoyed by the journalists...

"I love you too, Mommy," came the reply. Amelia didn't sound very sad, even though there was something in her tone which made C.C. think she was put out.

C.C. sighed, hoping Niles would reappear soon. If anyone could get their little girl to smile again and to cheer up, it would be him. He was a fantastic father, even though he'd only been given the title a short time ago. He could help them regain some sense of joy from the evening.

He had always been their saving grace, and C.C. couldn't be more thankful. Being a single mother hadn't been easy, and Niles becoming part of their lives had been a blessing – a miracle that she'd once thought impossible.

Amelia had been the reason why she had changed her life around, and Niles had only added to that. Both he and Amelia were what kept her going, and she only wanted the best for them.

C.C. could already hear the orchestra tuning up, and soon enough she spotted two figures – one broad-shouldered, blond man and a svelte brunette – walking towards their seats as they balanced all the treats they had bought in their arms.

Fran was the first to get to them, and she proceeded to hand their drinks to the children. C.C. settled Amelia's diet coke in the cup holder as Niles made his way to his assigned seat as he held the packet of M&M's that Amelia had asked for.

He immediately noticed the forlorn mood that seemed to inhabit his fiancée and his child. What had happened?

"I brought your treat, sweetheart," Niles said, smiling at his child. "Is everything alright, Mia?"

The girl immediately shook her head yes and reached out for her candy. "Yeah..."

Niles frowned. Something wasn't quite right here...

"Are you sure?" he asked again, this time looking at C.C. instead of at Mia.

C.C. pulled a face at him, to let him know that something had happened, even if Amelia wouldn't say so. She was hoping her little girl would come through and tell the truth herself, but she never knew. She was too like her in that respect. She kept so many things to herself if she thought the consequences would be bad otherwise...

Mia nodded again, busying herself with opening the packet of M&Ms.

"You know you can tell us anything that's bothering you, right?" Niles asked. "We...are your parents. We love you, and we're here to make things better when it doesn't seem like they can be."

He really was the best father in the world, C.C. thought. And they were going to talk this all over as a family, because she decided that if Amelia didn't speak up, then she would.

She'd have to. They couldn't let things sit. That had almost cost her Niles. Almost cost them both.

Amelia stared down at her M&Ms, not making a move to eat them, even though she'd opened the packet and had specifically asked for them when Niles had offered to go and get things to eat.

"I just...shouldn't have talked about all those people outside. The newspaper people," she admitted, after a long silence. "I didn't mean to make Mommy unhappy..."

"You didn't make me unhappy!" C.C. practically cried out, drawing some curious looks to them. She sighed and tightened the grip on her child. "Seeing them made me upset, sweetie, not you."

Niles nodded as he wrapped an arm around C.C.'s shoulders and used his other free hand to stroke Amelia's hair. "Exactly. Those people are people your Mommy has never liked, and she just got a little nervous. Especially since we wanted to make this a beautiful night for you."

The girl remained silent for a few moments. She tossed a few M&M's into her mouth and slowly looked up at her father. "For me?" she asked meekly.

"Yes, for you, sweetheart!" Niles said, leaning over and moving Amelia from C.C.'s lap to his own. He bounced her on his legs a bit, and the child couldn't help a small giggle from leaving her lips. "This night is all about you."

"That's right," C.C. joined in. "This night is all about you, sweetie! Don't worry about those people; I am not upset anymore, and even when I was you weren't the reason why I was angry."

"Oh..." Amelia hadn't really thought about how maybe it was the newspaper people who'd made her mother upset. She was just so used to seeing her mother happy, that any change in that behaviour was unprecedented, and frightening.

But she felt relieved, if the anger hadn't been directed at her. She wouldn't be able to stand it if her mother was upset or angry at her, for any reason.

But she wasn't, and she was trying her hardest to make sure everyone was happy.

"Is everything okay now?" C.C. asked, her voice giving away how much she hoped it was.

"Yeah," Amelia tucked into her chocolate some more. "Everything's okay."

C.C. felt a weight lifted from her heart. She couldn't stand her daughter thinking something was wrong, or her fault.

Niles smiled softly, "Alright, then. How about we all relax, and watch the play now?"

Amelia's nodding seemed a little more excited and happy this time, eating her chocolate quite contentedly. A small smile gracing her features, C.C. moved as far over in her seat as she could, and cuddled against her fiancé, who wrapped one arm around her, using the other to secure Mia in place as the house lights went down.

The show was about to begin, and the last thing any of them wanted to do was miss it.

* * *

 **AN: Well, to the guest reader that always reviews (you are great, by the way, and we are so glad you like the story! Your reviews make us really happy ¡, too) you got it right! Adoption papers were the gift :) There is a lot more coming, so worry not!**

 **We only wanted to warn you that, seeing as H is going home, it might take us a bit longer than usual to upload a new chapter!**

 **Anyway, we hope you liked this chaptwe, and we'll bee uploading more!**

 **Thanks for reading and we appreciate your reviews.**

 **H &L**


	17. Chapter 17

**_Chapter 16_**

Routine was something that had always existed in the Brightmores' lives. Their existence was structured around carefully built schedules, which had been basically thrown into jeopardy as the wedding drew nearer and nearer.

The small family had always had their moments of peace to enjoy together, but now rehearsals and the wedding planner's constant visits caused these moments of peace to be more sporadic. And although not having as much time together as before did bother them, neither felt like complaining. Especially not Amelia.

The child was delighted with the wedding, and she spent every waking moment either talking about it or helping with it. She had gone accompanied her parents to buy their wedding bands, and seeing as she was their precious little girl, she was allowed to help picking them.

It was an exciting time for the whole family, and the cheer and happiness were contagious. Even B.B. and Stewart seemed to be getting along whenever they were in the same room!

It was as though nothing could spoil the good time they were having...

This and many other thoughts revolved around C.C.'s mind as she lay comfortably sprawled on the sofa in her study. She was going over the invitations and carefully organising the seating chart. She had to have almost military precision – part of her mother's side of the family barely tolerated her paternal family, so she wanted them sat as far away as possible.

The producer sighed in frustration and carelessly tossed the chart on the small coffee table in front of the sofa. She detested having to go through all this stress due to her family, but it was necessary if she wanted to ensure a tranquil wedding day.

"Why don't I just un-invite them all?" C.C. muttered to herself whilst taking off her spectacles and rubbing her tired eyes.

"Was that a rhetoric question or you want my honest opinion?" Niles piped up from the doorframe. She hadn't heard him entering the office, but she was glad to see he was carrying a big cup of coffee and some cheesecake with him.

"I know that if it were up to you, they'd probably all fight to the death for our entertainment," she began, gratefully accepting the coffee and a plate of cheesecake. "But I would like some of my family to be around by the time our first anniversary gets here."

Niles snatched up the seating chart and began to study it as he flopped onto the sofa next to her, allowing her to start enjoying her snack.

"Let's take a look-see," the butler mused aloud, going over the names and their places on the paper. "Well, I think you might actually have some of it covered already. It's all a matter of making sure the people who hate each other are all sitting at opposite ends – keeping branches of the family together, of course, but making sure they sit in different parts of the room. If you want, we can mix some of them with my family, and that way everyone can get to know each other?"

C.C. chewed her cake slowly as she thought. Mixing it up didn't seem a bad idea, actually, as long as none of her relatives got any smart ideas about being snobbish towards Niles' family...

Her father's family were better at that kind of thing, really.

Maybe if they moved the tables around, so that both families were more mixed together, it would avoid arguments. And as her fiancé had pointed out, they could all get to know each other. If they were all busy talking with other people, fights couldn't break out. They'd be distracted.

"You know...that's not the worst idea you've ever had," she told him, sticking her fork in her mouth thoughtfully as she, too, stared at the chart.

He draped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed them. He couldn't believe that in barely a month and a half they'd be getting married. It seemed like he had been waiting forever for this, but at the same time he felt like the time between he and C.C. getting together and their engagement had gone past in the blink of an eye.

He was thankful for everything he had – C.C. had been the one to give him a home, but most importantly, she had given him a family. He was still humbled by Amelia having chosen him as he father. The only thing he had wanted, was to be that for her, and finally his dreams had come true.

They had come a long way together, and for the first time in years he felt like his life was going in the right direction.

"Well... what can I say? With my muse so close I tend to have brilliant ideas," he kissed her on the side of her neck and she giggled. The seating chart slowly slipped from her hands as she shifted her body to face him and caught his lips in a kiss.

"You are an old smooth talker," she chuckled as she climbed onto his lap. "That's one of the reasons I love you."

Her hands travelled to the buttons of his shirt and played with them. The feeling was heavenly but...

"Amelia?" he rasped as she opened the first buttons and caressed his chest.

"At the Sheffields," she continued her onslaught and pushed Niles down onto the sofa. "We have all the house for ourselves."

He grinned. "Ah, if that's the case..."

Just as he was about to slip his own hands underneath her shirt, the phone rang. Neither moved for a few moments; they knew they'd rather stay right where they were.

"... It could be the Sheffields," he eventually sighed.

"Or the wedding planner," the blonde added, reluctantly getting to her feet and reaching out for her phone. "Probably Maxwell... he's always had an awful timing."

They shared a laugh and C.C. took the call.

"Hello, C.C. Babcock speaking."

It wasn't Maxwell on the other end.

Instead, a familiar voice that she thought she'd never hear again greeted her.

"Um...hello, Claire."

 _Patrick!_

C.C. nearly dropped the phone, but managed to scramble it back to her ear, and her eyes immediately shot towards Niles.

The butler saw her panicked expression, and mouthed "Who is it?"

"Claire? Are you there?"

"Yes, yes, I am here," she quickly said. "Sorry, it's just...I wasn't quite expecting to hear from you...ever."

"Yeah, I, um...sorry about that," the Scottish man sounded more than a little sheepish on the other end. "But I had to call."

C.C. blinked, and felt her heart give that familiar, uneasy shift towards her throat, "What about?"

"Your daughter," he replied simply, before a swallowing noise could be heard. " _Our_ daughter. I saw pictures of you and her in the paper, and, well..."

He knew...

He had seen the pictures taken on the opening night and he'd figured it out.

Come to think of it, the truth was easy to discover – the girl was a carbon copy of her, but she had his eyes and hair colour. Considering Amelia´s age (and the many details the press must have disclosed – God she was going to sue them all…), it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened and who Amelia was.

Why had she gone to that show?! She should have stayed away from the cameras, as she had vowed when she had first found out she was pregnant with Amelia.

But now it was too late, and for better or for worse, the man deserved the truth.

"Yes..." she replied shakily and went to sit down on her chair.

"I... I mean, she is my daughter, right?" Patrick asked, his voice cracking.

She considered lying – saying that she wasn't sure or that Amelia wasn't his, but it felt wrong. Of course the future she had carefully built would become uncertain – after all, Amelia had just found a father, and that wasn't Patrick.

"Yes... she is," the woman replied. She saw Niles frowning from the corner of her eye.

God... why did this have to happen now?!

Why did this have to happen when, for once in her life, things were going exactly how she wanted!

She was barely aware of the strange muffled sob that came from the other end, but eventually Patrick spoke again.

"What's... what's her name?"

"Her name is Amelia..." the producer sighed and looked at Niles, "Her name is Amelia Brightmore, Patrick."

Niles felt like all of his organs had just dropped out of his body, and even though he was sitting down, he felt like he was sinking through the furniture.

Patrick was back. And he clearly wanted to know about Amelia.

Well, of course he did. She was his, after all.

And immediately all of his anxieties – deep-rooted ones that he hadn't even realised he had – came to the surface. He could see it all now; Patrick coming to visit, getting the rights to see his little girl, taking her for day trips out, and spending weekends and holidays with her. He could see Amelia laughing and being held by him, and calling him "Daddy"...

He could see the papers in which they changed Amelia's last name – the last name that had been given to her by him – to whatever Patrick's surname was. He could see them having the closest bond – one that he thought he'd been developing with the little girl. But how could he possibly compare to her real father? He knew C.C. had chosen him over Patrick, would have always chosen him over Patrick, but it was no indication that Amelia would do the same...

He could see himself at some family event, years from now, perhaps even Amelia's own wedding, ignored and out of place because he didn't share her blood, or her name.

Side-lined because he was only the stepfather.

He could see it all, and he wanted to weep.

C.C. wanted to weep too. She didn't want Amelia to be caught up in her mistakes. Because that's what sleeping with Patrick had been – a mistake.

Granted, it had given her the most precious thing she had in this universe, but she didn't want to have anything to do with Patrick. She had hoped not to have to hear from him ever again, but it seemed destiny had other plans.

"That's... a beautiful name," the Scottish man said, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. "When was she born?"

"March 27th," she replied.

"Was it... was it painful?" he cleared his throat. "I... I mean, how... how did the delivery-"

"It was long, yes, but it was worth it," C.C. replied, feeling slightly uneasy due to the subject they were discussing. "She... she is an adorable little girl. Full of life. Like... like her father."

C.C. knew that what she was doing might be slightly cruel, but she wanted him to know exactly where they stood. He hadn't been in their lives before – unintentionally, of course – and she had formed her family.

"Her... her father?" the man stuttered, sounding lost.

"Yes... Amelia has an adoptive father. She... she chose... uh... my fiancé, Niles Brightmore," C.C. sighed – here came the big revelation. "He signed the adoption papers a few weeks ago, but Amelia has been calling him "Daddy" for a while now."

It sounded to Niles like C.C. was trying to dissuade the other man from getting his hopes up about something. So, naturally, his own hopes were raised. The tone of her voice, and the careful choice of her words all suggested that she was defending his position as Amelia's father.

"Oh..." Patrick said, sounding somewhat put out. C.C. didn't really care, though. If he was as good and decent a man as he had been when they were friends, he'd understand. "The man whose name you screamed when-"

"That's right," the blonde woman cringed minutely. She still couldn't believe that had happened. "We...got together, a nearly two years ago. We've talked everything over, and we're getting married in just under two months."

She shook herself out of her embarrassment of shouting Niles' name out; it didn't matter now. She had the man himself, and not just his name on her lips, when she went to bed at night.

"I see," she thought she heard Patrick swallow, down the other end of the phone again. "Is...is he good to her?"

"Yes," C.C. replied immediately, sounding confident, and making sure to look Niles in the eyes as she answered. "He's a wonderful father. He loves her very much, and she adores him, too."

She wanted to make sure he knew that Amelia couldn't ask for better. Not that biology necessarily meant better in the first place...

There were plenty of biological fathers that couldn't care less about their children (not that she was accusing Patrick of that. The poor man hadn't known anything about Amelia up until recently) while Niles, who had no biological connection to Amelia, treated her as his own.

He was her father, and DNA wasn't going to change that.

"That's good to hear," the Scottish man sighed from the other end of the line. "And I am thankful for that."

"So am I," C.C. said, smiling at Niles. She was truly thankful for him taking the roll of Amelia's father. He didn't have to, and yet she had chosen to. "He is a wonderful man..." the blonde pulled a face and looked at the floor, "And I am sorry for how things developed after... that night."

"I am sorry too. If I had known… if I had been aware I would have been there!" he said, once again sounding like he was on the verge of tears. "I am not a cad, by any means, and if I had known you were pregnant I would have supported you," again, a deep sigh left his lips. "What I mean to say is that I am sorry. I am sorry for you having to deal with your pregnancy by yourself; I am sorry that you had to raise her on your own until Mr Brightmore came along; I am sorry that... that you had to face everything alone. I do not want to intrude in your life or even in Amelia's, but I just needed to tell you just how sorry I am."

And right then C.C. felt a strange pity for the man. She knew he was a good person, and Patrick apologising to her was tearing at her heart. He'd had no way of knowing – it wasn't his fault! It was no one's fault...

"Don't be," she cut him off. "For better or for worse, Amelia is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me, and I should thank you for her..." she made a pause and took a deep, calming breath. She had never denied Amelia de right to ask about her father, and although she wasn't willing to take the title away from Niles, she still thought that Amelia, in its due time, had to know about it. "And... and if you want, I could tell Amelia about you. It's going to be her decision, in the end, but I won't deny her the truth."

"Would you?" Patrick's voice sounded hopeful. "I really would like to meet her, if she wants to meet me, that is..."

C.C. thought about it. A part of her wanted to say no, in case it ruined everything she had built with Niles. It was screaming at her that Niles was Amelia's father, and Patrick had no right to come back in and take that away from him.

But a more reasonable side of her agreed that her daughter had the right to know, and to make the decision for herself. And that this wasn't going to affect her relationship with Niles, because she wouldn't let it. She loved him, and one mistake made with Patrick before they were even together wasn't going to change that.

"I will tell her, don't worry," she said. "But it will be up to her if she wants this or not, Patrick."

"Of course, of course," there was a certain amount of delight as well as relief in the Scottish man's voice. "Thank you. I should probably give you my contact details, so that you can tell me what she says. We can come to an arrangement."

 _Arrangement_. That caused more than a little dread to settle inside C.C., even though he was fully entitled to want to see his daughter, she was reluctant to come to any agreement which could split up her family.

Nevertheless, she reached over and got a pen and some paper to take down Patrick's details.

"Yes... of course," the woman tapped the pen against the paper a few times. "Give me your contact details."

And so, C.C. at last discovered Patrick's background. The man lived in Edinburgh, his last name was McLaughlin, he had four other children with his ex-wife and he was an accountant. Those trifles had been unknown to her until then, and Amelia had asked about them many times.

C.C. was certain that it was better that she knew so she could make her own choice, and honestly, she owed it to Patrick. If it weren't for him, then she wouldn't have Amelia.

"Well, thank you very much, Claire," Patrick said; he sounded a lot more relieved now.

"It's alright, Patrick," the former producer smiled minutely.

A small silence settled in between them. There was nothing else to say, was there? The truth was out and a decision had been made. Now everything they had to do, was say goodbye until the next phone call.

"So... uh... I guess this is goodbye, for now," she said quietly.

"Yes, I suppose," he cleared his throat again. "Well, it was good that we were able to discuss this. And congratulations on your engagement."

"Thank you," C.C. said, meaning her words. "I promise to call when I've discussed this with Amelia."

"Thank you. I will be waiting," there was another lingering silence, and just when C.C. was about to end the call Patrick spoke again. "Would it... would it be alright if I sent her gifts for special occasions, such as her birthday or Christmas? You don't have to say they are mine, but I... I would like to do something for her."

"I don't see why not," C.C. replied. "Just let me talk about you with her."

"Sure! Sure..."

Another silence.

It was time.

"Well... goodbye, Claire," Patrick said, sounding somewhat reluctant.

"Goodbye, Patrick."

As soon as the conversation came to an end and C.C. had returned the phone to its base, she burst into loud sobs.

Sighing, Niles reached forward and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head against hers. For all his thoughts and fears about how the conversation had been going, it would have been so much worse for C.C..

She clearly hadn't wanted Patrick anywhere near their lives, and now it was having to happen anyway. Things were probably going to become a lot more complicated. But she needed him to provide a little voice of reason, so for all his dreaded feeling that it could lead to disaster and the end of his role as Amelia's father, he had to put that to one side for the time being.

Especially seeing as there was probably nothing he could do about it. Patrick had every right, and C.C. was doing the right thing in letting Amelia make her choice.

So even if it killed him, he had to step aside if it was what his little girl wanted.

"It's alright," he soothed, despite wanting to cry himself. "It's the right thing to do, and you know it. Amelia deserves to know, and to make her own decision in this."

"I just..." C.C. took a few breaths, and sniffed. "I just wanted us to be a family...no more complications..."

"It won't be complicated," he assured her, even if he felt like he might have been lying. "Plenty of children have parents who aren't together, or even live in the same country. It won't be so bad...besides, Amelia hasn't even made her choice, yet."

He kept it to himself that he was terrified of the moment she did, though.

"Yeah... but she is just a little girl! And thanks to my choices she has to make a decision that's even hard for grown-ups!" she burrowed her head in the crook of his neck, grateful that she had his strong arms around her, holding her together. "And I... I don't want her to choose him over you! I didn't want her to be forced to choose to start with!"

C.C. felt horrible for saying so, but it was the truth. She wanted to form a family with Niles and just when they'd done it, this happened!

It all seemed like a bad joke from fate.

"I know you don't," he tried to soothe her, rubbing her back and feathering kisses on the top of her hear. "Neither do I, for that matter, but you did the right thing. He is her-"

"Don't say it!" she pleaded, gripping at the back of his shirt. "Please... don't. You are her father. Biology can kiss my ass."

He was touched by her words, and he certainly felt like Amelia's father, but then again, it was a choice that didn't belong to them. It belonged to Amelia.

And as he held his fiancée to him, he could only hope that their girl still wanted him after she knew the truth. He had to be strong for now, and help C.C. face anything that came their way as a family.

"I won't say it," he murmured as she rocked them back and forth. "And I promise to be by your side through this."

C.C. lifted her head, allowing him to see her tear-streaked face. He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers before leaning down to kiss her.

"I love you," C.C. whispered against his lips.

"So do I," he tightened his grip on her and rested their foreheads together. "And I am proud of you."

"What did I do to deserve you?" she murmured after a short moment of silence. Her crying was slowing, but she still felt horrible. The only thing she wanted to do was sleep...

There was a part of her that hoped that this was just a nightmare and that she'd wake up any moment from then.

"Don't say that..." he kissed her again, "We deserve each other, okay?"

The blonde nodded, not really feeling like voicing her feeling of inadequacy right then. She just wanted to be held by him.

"Okay..." she sighed, tiredness seeping into her bones and making her feel like her body was tied to an iron weight.

Niles, being a seasoned _Babcock connoisseur_ , immediately noticed her exhaustion. "Do you want to lie down?"

C.C. nodded. "Yeah... I just... I still have to think how I am going to tell Amelia about all of this and I'd rather do it lying down."

He took her to their bedroom and both slipped under the covers, and they cuddled up. As usual, C.C. lay her head on his chest and pressed her body to his side. His arm was wrapped around her back and middle; it made her feel safe.

Safe and at home.

"I won't tell her today," she spoke up, silence having reigned in the room for a good forty minutes. "I... I just can't do it today."

"Alright, love," he began brushing his hand against the side of her hips. "When are you going to tell her?"

"Tomorrow... after breakfast. Do you mind making her an extra special one? I want to pamper her a bit before facing her with this..."

"Not at all," he replied. "Do you want me to pick her up from the Sheffields later?"

"Yeah... thank you. I think I'll go to bed early today."

Niles nodded again. She needed the rest, and despite the fact that he was absolutely anguished and worried about what Amelia's choice would be, right then he had to suck it up.

He had to be strong... for C.C..

And for Amelia.

They didn't speak for the rest of the afternoon; he just held her close and comforted her. They only briefly separated when Niles put on a movie for them to watch and when he went to look for some snacks. They needed this quiet moment – they needed the comfort that being together provided.

A consolation that only the other could provide.

She fell asleep almost around the time he had to get up to go and pick up Amelia, so Niles made an effort not to wake her up as he got ready to leave. It was a blessing that the Sheffield mansion was nearby, because if he'd been stuck in the car alone for long, he would have given in to his fears and doubts.

He simply couldn't think about them right then. Right then he had to be strong.

He had called the mansion just before he'd left. Fran had actually asked him if he and C.C. wanted to have dinner over, but the butler politely refused. It was a wonder that Fran didn't push it, but he wasn't going to test his luck.

He honked the horn as she got to the entrance, and soon the former nanny opened the entrance door and accompanied Amelia to the car.

"Hey Daddy!" the girl said cheerfully.

 _Daddy._

His fears were creeping back up on him again. Specifically the thought that she might not call him that for much longer. She'd be giving the title to someone else...

He shook it away. She didn't need to know anything was wrong. It wasn't her fault. None of it was her fault, and the decision wasn't until tomorrow.

He had to be strong until then.

He beamed back at her and took her into his arms to give her a hug, like any normal father, "Hey there, sweetheart!"

He was going to savour every moment, while it lasted. He didn't want to give her up, but if he had to, he was going to make sure to spend all the time he could with her beforehand. Having a family was the best thing in his life, and if part of it was about to be snatched away, he was going to make sure that his last memories of it were the best they could possibly be.

He released her from the hug, and rubbed her upper arms, "You ready to get going?"

"Mm-hm," Amelia nodded, and turned back to Fran. "Thank you for letting me stay, Mrs Sheffield."

"Any time, sweetie," Fran handed the little girl's bag to Niles, so he could put it in the car. "And please, call me Fran."

Amelia grinned, "Okay. Thank you, Fran."

Fran beamed back at her, and offered a smile to Niles. Luckily, if anything looked wrong on his face, the former nanny didn't see.

At least, if she did, she didn't mention it.

Niles helped Amelia into the backseat and buckled up her seatbelt. He then slipped into the driver's seat, bade goodbye to Fran and took off for their home. He tried not to show just how nervous he was, and he did so by doing what he usually did – hearing about his daughter's day. She told him about the many things she and the Sheffield twins had done, including Fran's failed attempt at cooking and her consequently taking them out for lunch.

Usually, hearing about Amelia's day cheered him up, but right then he simply couldn't bring himself to enjoy it. It was as though the world around him had adopted a greyish hue, and he frankly didn't know if he would enjoy of a vivid, colourful reality again if Amelia chose Patrick over him.

He had become so deep in thought that he barely registered that Amelia had stopped talking. The girl was now looking up at him from the back seat, a worried look on her face.

Her Daddy was never this quiet...

She didn't know what it was, but she could sense there was something wrong. Like her Daddy was sad about something. What could it be? She refrained from asking what was wrong until Niles had parked the car and turned off the engine – she knew that, when driving, adults needed to concentrate.

"Daddy?" she said sheepishly as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Niles said, getting out of the car and moving to the back so he could open the door for Amelia.

"Are you... are you mad about something?"

Her question was tinged with fear, and it broke his heart to hear her sounding so... afraid. Or uneasy...

He picked her up in his arms and gave her the best smile he could.

"Of course not! Why would you think that?"

The girl grimaced, her eyes slowly looking away from him. "I don't know... you just look sad for some reason. And you are never so quiet when I tell you about the things I do."

Niles bit back a frown. He should have known she'd pick up on things like that.

But it wasn't his place to tell her what was going on. That responsibility lay with C.C., and she wasn't ready. She was resting, and preparing herself for what was going to probably be a very long and quite complicated talk. He kind of wished that he was, too, but that would leave no one to watch over Amelia.

So he had to make the best of it, and spare her any more worry.

Spend time with her, while she was still his daughter.

He shook his head minutely, "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I'm just a bit tired, that's all. I didn't mean to worry you."

The girl appeared to consider him for a moment, and he held his breath, in case she didn't believe him.

But then she nodded a little, and he bounced her in his arms.

"Come on; why don't you and I go and have dinner, and then watch some TV?" he suggested, hoping to change the subject. "Your Mommy had a headache, so she went to bed early, but if we keep our voices down and let her rest, we can stay up."

It seemed better to tell her that C.C. had a headache, rather than she was upset by something. It might keep her from asking more questions that weren't going to be answered until morning.

"Really?" the girl said, growing elated as her previous worries faded away. "Can we have some of the mushroom risotto I like so much?"

Niles chuckled in spite of his forlorn mood. It was incredible just how alike Amelia and C.C. were! Both of them had incredibly similar tastes in food, movies and clothes.

"Of course you can have mushroom risotto! And we can also have some ice cream delivered!"!

Amelia practically launched herself forwards and wrapped her little arms around Niles. He was glad to see her so happy; if these were the last hours of being a father, then he intended to pamper his girl as much as he could.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Amelia pecked his cheek. "And can we watch "The Incredibles"?"

"We sure can, Little One."

After a small celebration from Amelia's part, he carried her back inside and ordered her to go up, take a bath and change into her pyjamas while he cooked. The girl complied with his orders immediately, and soon, after having taken a warm bath and having put on her comfiest pyjamas, father and daughter were sat before the TV, trays with food on their laps.

The movie was just starting, and Amelia was already on the edge of her seat. She adored that particular movie, and she didn't seem to get tired of watching it over and over again. Niles didn't mind, either – seeing her happy was the only thing he wanted, right then.

"Wow!" Amelia gasped when Mr Incredible beat Syndrome's robot. She glanced at Niles for a second to tell him about just how cool it would be to have super strength but her words died in her mouth when she found him looking at her.

But it was strange... it was almost as though a melancholy sheen was shining in his eyes. Her Daddy was _definitely_ upset, and maybe she could make him feel better. She'd seen her Mommy do that before, so if her Mommy could, so could she!

"Daddy?" she asked, putting the tray aside.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

The girl edged closer to him and hugged him. "I just wanted to tell you that you are my Mr Incredible."

Niles felt his breath catch in his throat. He held back the tears as best he could so she didn't see him and again think that something was wrong. Well, something was wrong. It was the thought that she was saying that now, but might soon decide that he wasn't some kind of superhero anymore. He was just an ordinary man; a bystander who had been waiting with her until the real Mr Incredible arrived, and came to take her away.

But he was grateful that she thought so for now, and he hugged her back tightly.

"Thank you, sweetheart," he mumbled into her hair, and kissed the top of her head. "You have no idea how much that means to me..."

Amelia responded by hugging him tighter. It was almost like she'd never let him go.

How he wished he could be sure that she wouldn't...

But at least for now, she wasn't going to let go. They hugged for quite a while, until Amelia seemed sure that he wasn't upset anymore (he still was, but he had composed himself), and then Niles ordered the ice cream he'd suggested earlier.

He didn't want the tub to finish when it came. He wanted to be able to keep eating bowl after bowl with his little girl, if only to delay her from making her choice. He actually wanted her time to stand still. He wanted to stay there, sat in front of the TV and eating ice cream forever. He didn't want to let her go, not now, not ever.

He wanted to be her father! By God, how he wanted to be her father! But as his mind kept reminding him, it was Amelia's choice, not his. He held her close when they'd finished their ice cream and watched yet another movie. He simply wanted to prolong the night with his daughter.

As a matter of fact, neither of them knew when they fell asleep on the couch. Amelia had rested her head on a pillow over his lap, and he had made sure to tuck her in with a blanket a few moments before they'd both succumbed to their overwhelming need to rest.

They didn't know that, at a certain point of the night, they were found by C.C.. The woman had woken up when she had realised that Niles wasn't asleep next to her, which was unusual. So she had put on her dressing gown and gone downstairs after checking every room in the first floor.

She didn't know if she wanted to cry out of sadness or out of happiness – Niles and Amelia had fallen asleep on the sofa, together, and her fiancé's hand was resting on the little girl's head. Almost as though he had fallen asleep stroking her hair.

She knew that it was going to be a long and difficult conversation in the morning. The TV was still going, so they'd obviously fallen asleep watching it. Niles had probably been trying to keep the evening going for as long as possible. He was obviously dreading Amelia's answer in the morning, and trying to stretch out all the time he thought had available to him.

Her heart broke for her fiancé. It wasn't fair – he'd had time to get to know Amelia, and to love her like she was his own. She was his own, God damn it! Biology didn't mean a thing. And yet it didn't stop Patrick from showing up out of the blue so that he could have his daughter, despite the fact that he didn't know the first thing about her.

She knew she shouldn't have been so harsh; it wasn't his fault, after all. And he had said he wouldn't interfere. But this was, in a sense, interfering. It was causing them more stress than either was willing to admit for the sake of the other, and for the sake of Amelia.

It would have been better if he'd stayed out of it. Not asked. Just let Amelia have the father she'd chosen, and not put her in the position of having to pick. Let her have the father who loved her with all his heart, and didn't deserve all the problems this came with.

She'd have to wake them up and send them both to bed, but she couldn't bear it. Everyone going to bed meant the morning would come, and when the morning came... Well, there was one idea that came to mind before she had to bring them back to reality.

She dashed off into her office, and returned a few moments later with her camera. If Niles wanted to prolong the moment, she'd help him by preserving it forever. With one click of the camera, it was done.

There. Whatever happened in the morning, nothing could take that night away. It was saved, forever.

That thought was probably what made her decide that she wasn't going to wake them up. She was going to let them have this night, because they deserved it. They deserved the happiness that would be preserved forever in the picture she had just taken.

So, instead of sending them off to bed, she cleaned the living room, did the washing up and then went back upstairs to look for two more blankets. She covered Niles with the first one and carefully wrapped the other around her body. After checking that Amelia was fine and properly tucked in, she moved onto the other sofa and lay down on it.

She wanted to enjoy this family moment, too. And she'd be damned, but she wasn't going to allow anything or anyone to break her family apart.

The last thing she saw before she closed her eyes, was Amelia sighing in her sleep and snuggling closer to Niles.

* * *

 **AN: Oh well... what will Amelia say? What will Patrick do? You'll find out soon enough! :-P**

 **Thanks for reading and we'd love to get your reviews.**


	18. Chapter 18

**_Chapter 17_**

He would have never imagined that waking up with an acute neck pain would make him feel so good. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes, was his daughter lying next to him, with her head on his lap.

And right in front of him, lay his fiancée, wrapped in a blanket and fast asleep.

Right there was his family... his girls. The girls he loved with all his heart and soul. He didn't want to give this up... this was everything good and wholesome in life. Right there, sleeping soundly, was his everything. He only hoped that it wasn't about to be taken away from him...

He didn't want to get up just then. It was still a little early, and both C.C. and Amelia were still asleep. They'd be wanting breakfast soon enough, but for now he was just going to enjoy watching them sleep. He was going to burn this moment into his consciousness. The last, dying hours of his time as Amelia's father.

He didn't know how long the peace lasted, but eventually C.C. stirred awake, and groaned. No doubt she had a stiff neck, too. She gave him a soft smile as her eyes fluttered open, and she reached up to gently lean over Amelia and kiss him good morning.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," she murmured.

He wasn't really in the mood for fun in that way, but he did appreciate her attempt at cheering him up.

"I have something for you," she continued before he could speak. "You can see it when Amelia gets up to go get dressed."

Well, now he was awake and intrigued. What could she possibly have?

He moved closer to her, curiosity curling around his thoughts like a vine. Part of him needed a distraction – something to take the edge off the dreadful morning that lay ahead. He prayed for forbearance; he was going to need it if things didn't turn out the way he hoped. It was almost ironic, he thought – he was days away from getting married to the love of his life, and yet a simple phone call had been enough to vanish all the blithesome happiness that had dwelt in his heart. It had been replaced by dread and a dark sense of foreboding that he couldn't get rid of.

Amelia was his child – his little girl… he didn't want her to be taken away from him. But Amelia had the last word when it came to deciding who was to be her father. Not him, nor C.C. – Amelia. One word from her part and his whole world would come apart at the seams. One word and everything would be over.

But it wasn't over just yet. Amelia Hadn't pronounced her verdict. These, he knew, were his last hours as a father.

"Mommy?" a small, groggy voice said, immediately followed by a yawn.

Amelia was awake. He must have awoken her when he moved closer to C.C., Niles thought.

"Morning, sweetie," C.C. smiled down at her little girl, who looked up at her, eyes still bleary with sleep.

It took her some moments to understand exactly where she was, but when she did, her brow furrowed.

"We fell asleep on the sofa..." Amelia said, sitting up so she could stretch.

"We all did," Niles said, smiling. Or, at least, trying to smile – one last effort to conceal his pain from his child. "It seems we had a little too much fun last night."

"And you didn't invite me?" C.C. piped up, feigning offence. She turned her back to both Niles and Amelia. "I am deeply offended!"

Father and daughter exchanged a smirk and both of them wrapped their arms around her.

"Sorry, Mommy! It's just that Daddy said you had a headache," Amelia said.

C.C.'s smile twitched ever so slightly. She had to admit that Niles had resorted to a good tactic. Explaining Amelia the real reason behind why she had gone to bed early hadn't been an option for Niles, so he had recurred to an innocent lie.

Well... to be fair and considering the stress of the previous day, she actually _had_ suffered from a headache.

"Oh... of course! I forgot about that. How silly of me…" she said, going back to sporting a beaming smile as she leaned over to hug her. "You were taking care of me! How considerate of you."

"Of course, Mommy!"

C.C. couldn't help it – she pressed her nose to her daughter's hair and she breathed in her smell. It was bittersweet, for she could detect a faint trace of Niles' scent, too. Amelia had slept against him, so it only made sense…

It reminded her of what was at stake. Her family. Her way of living…

She hadn't considered herself a resentful person since the breakdown, but right then she felt the loathing for Patrick creeping up. She tried to distract herself by gently poking her child on the side, eliciting peals of delighted laughter from Mia.

If happiness had a sound, both parents knew that's how it'd sound.

"Stop, Mommy, stop!" Mia said in between laughs and as she tried to break free of her mother's grasp. "It tickles! Daddy, help!"

With one, swift movement, Niles expertly snatched the girl from her mother's arms, laughing a bit in spite of himself. He then jolted to his feet and dashed to the other end of the room – and for a moment, as he ran, he actually allowed himself to be happy.

"Back away, you Tickle Monster!" he said pressing himself against the wall right next to the staircase and deepening his voice so as to make Amelia laugh. "And you, princess Mia of New York, run upstairs and get dressed! I shall distract the monster!"

"Okay!" the little girl cheerfully scurried away, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen.

The couple watched her go as she climbed the stair, the hubbub that had reigned in the living room for the past cheerful minutes. Silence made its sudden appearance the moment the sound of her bedroom door closing echoed through the mansion, and Niles turned to face C.C., his smile not quite gone but slightly dimmed. He noticed fiancée had already gotten to her feet and had gone over to the bookshelf to retrieve...her camera?

He dragged himself back to the sofa and plopped himself down on it as C.C. scuttled back to him without saying a word. She soon joined him and snuggled by his side as she turned on the camera.

What on Earth was she doing? Surely this wasn't a time to take photos? Was...was this what she said she wanted to show him? What was on that camera? C.C. pressed a button to take the little device to the screen where a person could view their saved pictures, and she turned it around to present it to him.

"Here," she said simply.

Niles stared, in no small amount of awe. She'd taken a picture of him and Amelia from the night before, snuggled on the sofa like any other father and daughter. Like there was nothing wrong with the world, and like Niles hadn't been dreading the morning.

"I thought that I should keep this moment somewhere," C.C. explained, almost ready to burst into tears. "To show you that, no matter what happens later, this isn't going anywhere. We both still love you, and no one can take what you have away. It's right here, forever."

And, damn it, she did burst into tears! And so did Niles. They were a family, and the fear of everything falling apart was more than a little scary – it was more like it was terrifying. Niles knew he was loved, but until Amelia hadn't made her choice, he'd simply feel that he had partially lost his family. Until the girl hadn't explicitly said that she wanted him, he'd feel like he was more of a replacement – a substitute – for her real father.

"Thank you," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "Not just for the picture but also for giving me the opportunity to be part of this family in the first place. Because, regardless of what happens today, you will always be my family."

She held him just as tight as he was holding her. They had to get through this together...

"No, thank you, for wanting to be part of it," she replied.

They shared one heartfelt kiss before moving to the kitchen and getting breakfast started. They tried to compose themselves while they prepared the table and the food. Actually, they appeared to be completely fine by the time Amelia returned to the kitchen. She was delighted to find out her parents had prepared her favourite food and had put extra marshmallows in her hot chocolate. It was almost enviable just how blissfully unaware she was...

Unawareness, however, wasn't eternal. God knows C.C. wished she could keep Amelia ignorant of this, but it wouldn't be right...

She had to be strong.

And so, when they had all finished their meals, C.C. hesitantly reached out for Amelia's hand and grasped it.

"Sweetie?" C.C. began. "Could we talk for a little while?"

Her countenance became one of worry as she looked between her parents. Had she done something? Was she in trouble?

"Uh... I..."

"You did nothing wrong," C.C. was quick to add, sensing her daughter's unease. "But I have to talk to you about... about your birth father."

Amelia's eyes widened. Seldom did her mother mention the father who had put her in her Mommy's belly. She remembered C.C. had told her that she didn't know how to find him, and shortly before her Mommy had started dating her Daddy, she had first explained to her the term "birth father". She had told her that a birth father was the man who puts the baby in the mommy. C.C. had then added that, even if her Daddy wasn't her birth father, Niles was still her father. No matter what.

"My... my birth father?" the girl stuttered.

"Mh-hm," C.C. nodded. "Remember I told you I didn't know where he is? Well, he found us and I talked to him yesterday."

An indescribable look spread across the girl's features, and Niles thought he might die from the suspense alone. He couldn't tell what she was thinking at all. A horrible, hideous part of him said that any moment now, an excited smile would spread across her face. She'd bounce up and down in her chair, wanting to know everything her mother and father had talked about. She'd want to meet him as soon as possible, and then it would be over.

Why did time have to stand still right at that moment? It was best over and done with quickly, like ripping off a Band-Aid.

Eventually – far too late for his like – the little girl spoke.

"Oh," she considered again, and then looked up at her mother. "What did he want?"

That was...not what Niles had been fearing at all. Amelia was oddly calm about it being suggested that her birth father could come into her life. She only showed a little curiosity, and that was it...

"He...wants to meet you," C.C. managed to get out. "I told him I'd ask what you wanted first, and he agreed to wait until you'd decided. So...I'm asking. Would you like to meet your birth father?"

Niles held his breath. Any second now. One word from her, and it was all over.

Of course, he'd have to compose himself in front of Amelia, but the second he was out of the room and on his own, he was going to let his whole world crumble around him.

That's what it would feel like anyway.

The girl's brow furrowed again.

She had spent a great part of her short life wondering about where her birth father was, but now... now she wasn't sure that she wanted to know anything about him. What was more – Amelia began to feel angry. Angry at the man who had put her in her Mommy's belly.

"Did he tell you why he took so long?" Amelia blurted out. "How did he find us now?"

Her words felt like a slap to Niles' face. She was wondering why he hadn't come earlier... and despite the anger in the girl's voice, he couldn't help but feel that, as soon as they had discussed why Patrick had taken so long, she'd ask to meet him.

And he'd be left behind, missing the daughter that had once been his.

"Well...uh ... remember I told you that he didn't know about you?" C.C. said, feeling an ever-growing urge to cry. "Well, we had no idea how to find each other and he only found us when he saw out picture on the newspaper. Remember? The newspaper people taking pictures of us when we went to the theatre the other day?"

Amelia nodded.

"Well, that's how he knew. And he called me and asked me if he could see you."

Amelia grimaced and fidgeted on her chair. She was clearly upset, and it was tearing at C.C.'s heart to have to put her in this situation...

"If... if I meet him," the girl began, casting her eyes to the floor. "Will I... will I have to call him Daddy? Because I don't wanna call him Daddy... my Daddy is Niles," she made a pause, almost as if considering something, and her face suddenly became worried. "You are still are Daddy, right?"

And relief flooded Niles' heart, making his chest want to burst with joy.

He immediately took to the floor next to Amelia's chair, kneeling on the tiles and placing a hand on her arm as he ignored the tears in his eyes, "I am...if you want me to be."

His daughter – still _his_ daughter! – was tearing up, too as she nodded, "Yeah...yeah, I do. I don't care if he put me in Mommy's belly. I don't want him, I want you."

Then she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, and that was the final straw for Niles' tears. They couldn't be stopped as he held onto his little girl for dear life, stroking her hair and picking her up to rock her from side to side.

She didn't want Patrick...he still had his family, whole and complete...it wasn't going anywhere...

C.C. watched the scene unfold as the tears streamed down her cheeks. Mia had chosen, and she'd chosen exactly what she had hoped. Their family wasn't breaking apart, it was going to be stronger than ever...!

So she rushed over and threw her arms around them both – her fiancé, and their little girl. Niles gave them both sound kisses on the forehead, and the family held each other in silence for some time, just taking in the peace that had washed over them all when Amelia had made her decision.

But there was something still left unanswered about the whole scenario, and, wiping her eyes, C.C. pulled away so she could ask.

"So what should we tell him?" she sniffed. "He'll be waiting for an answer."

She looked at her daughter, who was clinging to Niles like she would never let go. The sight made her feel somewhat relieved, but at the same time she was still nervous about what the girl would say.

C.C. swallowed, and tried again, "Do you want to meet your birth father, Amelia?"

The little girl shrank against Niles and shook her head, "Not if I have to call him Daddy, because he's not..."

"Oh, sweetie, you wouldn't have to..." C.C. stroked her daughter's cheek brushing away a tear. "I'd never ask you to do something like that if you didn't want to...!"

"But he might," the girl replied. "Maybe I'll see him when I'm older, and he won't try to make me. But not now. And I won't call him it ever, because he's not."

C.C. let out a sigh, continuing to stroke her daughter's face.

"Alright," she nodded, trying to manage a smile after all the emotions that had been surging through the room.

Her daughter had made her decision. She'd see Patrick when she was older. There was the answer. For now, all Mia clearly wanted was to spend time with the man she had chosen to be her father.

"I can say hi if he wants to," Amelia added, almost as if voicing a sudden second thought. "On the phone I mean... but I won't call him Daddy."

Niles smiled down at his little girl. She had chosen him... and even if she wasn't refusing to have contact with Patrick, she still preferred to be cautious with this new man. He wasn't going to lie, he was positively thrilled about Amelia having chosen him over her biological father. Patrick surely was a decent man, but he had never been in Amelia's life – at this point, he was more of a father to Amelia than the Scottish would ever be. He had been in her life since she was five, seen her grow, taken care of her...

He was her father.

Biology be damned.

"Well, your Mommy promised to phone him today, so you can say hi to him if you really want to. But remember, you don't have to do it if you don't want to," Niles explained, stroking her hair.

"Mh-hm," the girl nodded, burrowing her face into Niles' neck. "I wanna do it. But could you stay with me while we talk?" Amelia asked.

"We sure can!" he reassured her. "We will do everything the way you feel most comfortable with."

Amelia nodded again. She felt safe in her Daddy's embrace, and there was a part of her that didn't want to let go. He loved her and she loved him – they were a family, and that wasn't going to change.

"Okay..." the girl mumbled, "How should I call him when we speak on the phone?"

C.C. and Niles exchanged a look. It was almost as though they'd wordlessly agreed on how to reply to Amelia's question.

"You can call him Patrick," C.C. said without hesitation and looking at her daughter in the eyes. "That's his name, so I'm sure he won't mind."

Well... she wasn't so sure about that last part, but at this point it wasn't relevant – Amelia had made her choice, and her Daddy was Niles, not Patrick. Period.

"Okay... can I talk to him now?" Amelia asked. "I just want this to be over…"

C.C. frowned. This was stressing Amelia… but she understood her daughter's desire to just get it over and done with. And even if the idea of Amelia talking to Patrick didn't exactly sit well with her, she wasn't about to deny her child the right to speak with her birth father. However, she still wanted to communicate Amelia's decision to Patrick before he was allowed to talk to Amelia.

"Well... let me just phone him first and I'll call you when he is ready to talk, okay?" C.C. said as she rose to her feet. "Meanwhile, why don't you and Daddy go to the living room and watch those cartoons you like so much, hm?"

Niles gave her a questioning look. Was she ready to talk with Patrick when being completely on her own? Last time she'd done so, he had been in the room, and he didn't want C.C. to burst into tears again, least when he wouldn't be there to console her.

"Please, go," C.C. insisted despite Niles' obvious reluctance. "I'll use the kitchen phone to call him."

"Okay, Mommy!" Amelia exclaimed, still clinging to her father. The latter was still unconvinced, but he complied with his fiancée's wishes.

Once alone, C.C. took a deep, calming breath and grabbed the phone. Despite the fact that Patrick had showed to be a decent man, C.C. didn't know how he'd would react to the news of Amelia having chosen Niles over him.

Would he decide that he wasn't going accept Amelia's choice? Would he fight for his biological daughter?

There were too many possibilities...

And she'd only discover the answer when she'd called him.

Pushing her fears aside, the former producer dialled the number and waited.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Patrick, it's Claire," C.C. said and she heaved a sigh. She didn't know why she still called herself Claire; force of habit, she guessed.

"Hi, Claire!" the man sounded bright and eager – maybe even a little excited. C.C. still wasn't quite sure how she was going to tell him, but it had to be done. "How did everything go?"

C.C. sighed again, and ran a hand through her hair.

 _Here went nothing._

"Well, I told her..." she began slowly.

Patrick's voice almost sounded impatient in return, "And...?"

A pause.

This was the moment of truth.

"She doesn't want to see you, Patrick," she blurted out, but then quickly continued. "Not yet, at least. Maybe when she's older..."

There was silence down the other end of the phone, and for a moment C.C. wondered if maybe they'd been cut off, or if Patrick had hung up, but there was no tone to indicate that that's what had happened.

But eventually, the voice on the other end came back.

"I see," he sounded... _clipped_ , at first but then became resigned. "I...I suppose it's completely understandable. She has a father, and that isn't me."

C.C. couldn't help but feel bad for the man. He was a good person, and one mistake had led to all of this. This newfound pity didn't mean she was regretting Amelia's choosing of Niles – not even close – but she no longer felt such a strong animosity for the man. Her worrying mind had made her imagine the worst and most painful scenarios – Patrick deciding to somehow taking Amelia away from the, Amelia choosing Patrick over Niles – but there was nothing further away from the truth.

Patrick was a decent mind, and as such he had apparently chosen to respect Amelia´s wishes. She didn't dare ask why, though. Just in case explaining his reasons made him change his mind.

"She says she'll come and say hi on the phone right now, if you want," she told him gently, almost as if wanting to soften the blow. "As long as you don't mind her calling you Patrick..."

"She... she'd do that?" he sounded a little bit more hopeful. It wasn't what he'd wanted, C.C. supposed, but it was a sort of consolation price. "And of course, I don't mind her calling me Patrick if it means I'll be able to talk to her."

God... she had truly come across an outstandingly decent and honourable man. He was willing to accept the wishes of his daughter, even if that meant being pushed out from Amelia's life for the time being.

"I'll tell her to come then," she said. Just as she was about to call Amelia, C.C. gulped and brought the phone back to her ear. "And Patrick..."

"Yes?" came a slightly nervous voice from the other end.

"I just wanted to thank you. Thank you for respecting Amelia's wishes and for being so understanding..." she sighed. "What I mean to say, is that you are a wonderful man."

"There is nothing to be thankful for, Claire," he chuckled. "I have four other children, and if I've learnt something from fatherhood, is that sometimes a parent has to sacrifice their happiness for what is best for their children. And clearly, what is better for Amelia is to be there, with you and your fiancé."

His words touched her. They touched her more deeply that she'd ever thought they would. She knew what he meant – she had sacrificed many things for Amelia, and she'd done it gladly. Her daughter's happiness had always been (and would always be) her priority.

It seemed that it was Patrick's priority too.

"Thank you..." C.C. murmured. "I'll call Amelia now."

Minutes later (and after C.C. had called her name twice) the small girl and Niles entered the kitchen, hand in hand. She tried to give Amelia an encouraging smile – judging by the girl's expression, C.C. could tell she was nervous. The phone was soon handed to Amelia, who took it to her ear and, just like her mother had done before dialling the number, she sighed.

"Hi there," she eventually said. "It's Mia."

"Hello, Amelia," Patrick's voice sounded thick with tears, like he was trying to swallow them back. "How...how are you?"

"I'm...good, thank you," she replied, not really sure of how to talk to this strange man. She didn't know what to say. What was there to say?

He didn't know anything about any of her friends, or her school work, or what she did for fun...

The man whose hand was on her shoulder did, though. He knew everything about her life, and listened to her every day when she came home and told him what had gone one at school, or at her after-school activities. And he'd make her dinner and they'd watch TV, and he'd tuck her up in bed...

That's why he was her Daddy, and not this stranger on the other end of the line. The conversation felt forced, and awkward, and Amelia heard Patrick make a gulping noise on the other end of the phone.

"So..." he seemed to be thinking of something to say, "Are you happy, Mia? Do your Mommy and... _Daddy_...make you happy?"

"Yes they do," she replied evenly. "My Daddy is the best Daddy in the world, and so is my Mommy!"

"I am sure she is," her birth father replied. It was a completely incredible experience to be hearing Amelia's voice – he was lucky to be able to do so, if he was being honest. "We used to be friends."

"Really? My Mommy and my Daddy used to be friends too," the girl said, beginning to smile. "But then my Daddy became Mommy's boyfriend and then my Daddy proposed and now they are getting married!"

"So has your mother told me! Are you excited?"

Amelia nodded enthusiastically. "Mh-hm... and I'll get to be the flower girl and the ring bearer!"

And so, a conversation that had once felt awkward and forced, began to flow. At first it reminded C.C. of the feeling she'd got when Amelia was starting to walk – the conversation was, in a certain sense, taking baby steps and slowly becoming more fluid. Amelia had always been a talkative child, and it wasn't any different with Patrick (once she'd warmed up to him, of course). The girl told him all about her life with Niles and C.C. – where they went, what they did, how much fun they had...

She even told him about the time when they'd gone dress shopping with her Mommy.

It was nice to hear that Patrick and Amelia were having a peaceful conversation, but eventually it was time to hang up. Amelia had to have lunch and she still had some homework to do. If anything, there would be other opportunities for Amelia to talk to Patrick if she so desired. But for today, it was more than enough.

"I have to go," Mia said after C.C. had told her that it was time to hang up. "My Daddy will be making lunch soon and I have to help him!"

"Of course, I understand," Patrick replied. But before he thought about saying goodbye and hanging up, another idea sprung to mind. An idea that he felt he just had to gamble with. "But...would you mind quickly passing the phone to your Daddy?"

Niles watched as Amelia blinked in confusion, "Um...sure."

She looked over towards him and handed him the phone.

"He wants to talk to you," she whispered.

Patrick...wanted to talk to him? What about? What could the two men possibly have to say to one another?

But he had asked. And Mia seemed to insist, so he nodded, and let her go to start getting the vegetables out to set them on the counter in preparation for their salad, and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello, Patrick," he was well aware his voice sounded cautious, but he couldn't help it. He'd probably spent too much time watching bad movies and soap operas, but this was the part in his head where Patrick vowed to come and get his daughter, and make Niles regret the day he'd stolen a family from him.

But of course that didn't happen.

"Hello, Mr Brightmore-"

"Niles," the butler interrupted. If they were going to talk like this about anything, being on equal footing was probably a good place to start.

"Niles," Patrick corrected himself. "I...I know we probably don't really have a lot to say to each other, but...I just wanted to thank you. For being a good father to Amelia; she clearly adores you, and from what I understand, the feeling is completely mutual."

"It is," Niles replied, a strange feeling creeping up inside him at the idea that he was talking to Mia's real father. But he couldn't quite work out what it was. "She is a wonderful little girl, and I couldn't be more proud of her."

"Good," Patrick sounded on the verge of fresh tears again. "Just from that conversation, I already know that you and her mother are doing a brilliant job as parents, and I'm sure you'll continue along that line."

"Thank you," he said truthfully, glancing over where C.C. stood, checking on Amelia. His fiancée would occasionally look at him – after all, she couldn't imagine what Patrick had to say to Niles and it was putting her on edge – so he gave her a soothing smile. One that clearly said that everything was okay. "And I promise to take care of her until my dying day."

"I know you will, and it means a lot. What you did – raising another man's daughter as your own – is incredibly honourable, and I am glad Claire chose you to be her husband."

"So am I, if I'm being honest!"

The two men shared a soft laugh before a brief silence hung between them. It was eventually broken by Patrick, who heaved a sigh and spoke.

"Well, Niles, I won't keep you any longer. Do enjoy your lunch."

"Thank you. And considering the time difference I hope you enjoy your dinner," the butler said. "Goodbye, Patrick."

"Goodbye, Niles."

The line went dead moments later, and Niles had to take a few moments to recover. He'd just spoken to Amelia's biological father... and unlike what he'd imagined in his dreadful fantasies, the other man had accepted that Amelia had chosen him.

Well... not only had he accepted it, but he had also thanked him for the job he was doing! That was certainly a surprise!

"Are you alright?" C.C. asked softly as she walked to him and wrapped her arms around him.

Niles couldn't help the wide, beaming smile spreading across his face as he looked between the two most important people in his life.

"I've never been better," he replied and caught C.C.'s lips in a wonderful kiss.

C.C. sighed in relief as she lowered herself inside the steaming bathtub. It had been a long, emotional day, and she was exhausted!

After being stressed about not knowing what Amelia would choose, the woman had needed to relax, and her fiancé had kindly offered to tuck Amelia in so she could take a relaxing bath. She'd filled the tub with oils and scents of the finest quality, so the entire bathroom now smelled of jasmine and coconut.

It was absolute bliss – the water felt exquisitely warm, and resting her back against the tub was giving her a wonderful amount of support.

She couldn't feel more comfortable if she tried.

It wasn't even disturbed by the light knocking at the door, and her fiancé's head poking round to look at her. She smiled softly back at him.

"Hey," she greeted him as he slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. " _Our daughter_ all tucked in?"

She'd used those words completely on purpose, and they had their intended affect. Niles couldn't help the beaming grin that spread across his face as he came to sit on the ledge next to the bath, by her head.

He reached down and grasped at her hand, "Sleeping like a log."

"Excellent," C.C. shifted to try and make herself more comfortable, and closed her eyes as she rested her head against the back of the tub. "She deserves some peace and comfort after a day like today."

"She's not the only one," Niles frowned down at her, observing her movements. She looked pained. "You don't seem comfortable; are you aching?"

C.C. grimaced. Her back and her neck were killing her, hence the bath. She'd hoped the warm water and the oils would soothe the ache. The latter was probably a consequence of stress and a bad and restless night on the sofa.

"Yeah..." she groaned as she sat up and arched her back. "My neck and my back are killing me."

Niles frowned again. "Do you want me to give you a massage? Maybe a back rub?"

"Would you do that?" C.C. asked. There was a disguised plea in her words.

"Of course, love," he bent down to kiss her. "I'll go get the coconut oil – it will help your sore muscles."

"God... how I love you," C.C. hummed, easing herself against the tub once again.

Niles huffed out a laugh through his nose and quickly retrieved the coconut-scented oil. He went back to the tub and laid it on the ledge.

"I am liking this idea even more now," C.C. purred. Niles was undressing, and he clearly intended to get into the bath with her.

"My ideas are brilliant, my dear," he said and slipped into the bathtub – C.C. had moved a bit forward so he could get settled behind her.

"Someone needs to get off his high horse."

A deep moan of pleasure followed her words. Niles had just drizzled some oil on the skin of her shoulders and was gently applying pressure to her sore muscles.

"Were saying?" he teased.

"Less talking, more massaging," she groaned, rolling her head back and leaning into his hands further.

Niles chuckled, pleased he had her in this position, "Alright, then..."

His hands wandered over her back and neck, squeezing and relaxing all her aching muscles wherever he came across them.

Meanwhile, C.C. moaned and let out grunts of satisfaction as his touch made all her aches and pains ebb away. He made so many of her pains go away. It was actually nice that it happened to be physical pain for once. Emotional pain took a lot longer for them to fight through, even if they did manage it in the end.

But she knew that everything was alright, especially when his fingers were exploring her skin...

"God, you know how to work with your hands..."

Niles grinned, and as his hands worked on a particularly tough knot in her back, he leaned forward and kissed her shoulder, sucking at the skin.

"I know how to work with other areas, too..."

It didn't even take a second for C.C. to catch his drift.

"Why is it that every time you put your hands _on_ me, you automatically want to put other things _in_ me?" she moaned again as he worked on another knot near the base of her back.

"You are simply irresistible, that's why," Niles said, leaving a trail of kisses along the back of her neck.

"You don't have to sweet-talk, lover, you know I'd never refuse you working on any part of my anatomy," C.C. leaned against his chest, pressing her back firmly against it. One of her hands moved over her head and threaded itself through his hair.

"I am not sweet-talking, it's the truth," he said and his hands – which had been wrapped around her waist – began to wander. One travelled to her flat stomach and stroked it, whilst the other moved further south and began teasing.

Almost subconsciously, C.C. began spreading her legs. She and Niles had been in this same position so many times before, and she simply couldn't wait for the feeling of ecstasy that his fingers on her clit provided.

"You are an old smooth talker," she hummed. "And I love you very much."

"Glad to hear so," Niles stopped his teasing for a moment, eliciting a whimper from C.C.. But he wasn't intending to neglect her for long – the hand on her stomach travelled to her breasts and began fondling one of her nipples. Meanwhile, the other hand grabbed the shower head and began guiding it to his fiancée's innermost area. "Because I love you too."

And with that, the hand on her breast moved again to her womanhood, opened it for him and he directed the jet of water towards her clit.

C.C. let out a yelp of delight, and jumped a little. The hand running through his hair pulled him as close as she possibly could, and she began to giggle.

"Mm, that was certainly an interesting reaction," Niles mused aloud, spreading kisses further along her shoulder, and back up towards her neck again.

He directed the jet of water at her core again, and C.C. giggled again, her hands starting to travel along the inside of his thighs.

"Mm, that feels good..." she turned her head more towards him, succeeding in managing to plant some small kisses on his cheek as he caressed her shoulder with his lips. "But you know what would feel even better...?"

There was a rumble of laughter from somewhere deep in Niles' chest. He knew what she wanted, and he'd be happy to give it to her... _in a while_.

He was going to have a little more _fun_ first.

His hand started to sensually rub at his fiancée's womanhood, and a loud, guttural moan came from deep within her. And as she moaned and started to writhe, he pressed the button on the shower head and directed the water at her clit once again.

Her moan became a muffled scream of pleasure – and it was only muffled by him catching her lips with his. He knew she could be carelessly loud when in the throes of passion, but as he had a level head he had to think about their daughter's wellbeing – namely, that Amelia didn't listen to them having sex.

If they were too loud they'd wake her up and the fun would be over before it had even started.

"Holy shit," C.C. moaned, shifting her head and pressing it against Niles neck. Unlike the other times, he wasn't moving the shower head – he was keeping it firmly in place. The feeling was as overwhelming as it was blissful, and she could feel her orgasm building fast.

The powerful gush of water on her clit combined with his lips on her skin was almost too much, and she was on the verge of screaming out again when he inserted a two fingers inside her and began to thrust them in and out of her body.

"God... yes!" she exclaimed, pressing her back even harder against Niles' chest. "I... I love you so much."

"So do I, Babcock, so do I..." he murmured, enjoying the view (and the feeling) of C.C.'sbuilding orgasm.

Her body was sublime, and although he considered she was absolutely gorgeous at all times, there was something special about this type of moments. It was as though she glowed when she was screaming in pleasure underneath his hands, as though her beauty was enhanced by an unparalleled eroticism...

He simply couldn't get enough of this image.

Wanting to prolong the experience he lowered himself further into the water and helped settle her comfortably on top of him. He briefly stopped the shower head (and she made her protest known in the form of a desperate whimper) and in a swift, quick move, he entered her. He didn't move, he just buried himself to the hilt and turned the shower head again, directing the jet at her clit.

"Oh, God, Niles...!" C.C. panted, the palms of her hands rubbing against his thighs as she let out several loud moans. "This feels so good...!"

It did feel good, and he pressed his lips against her neck as he continued to direct the water at her innermost core, not moving at all and just feeling her walls tightening around him...

But he held off a little bit, not wanting her to reach her peak before he had prolonged the experience.

Not that C.C. would have had any complaints. The water and the feeling of him inside her were bliss of a different kind to what she'd experienced only moments before. In the throes of her passion, she grasped for his hand, but instead of letting him entwine their fingers like she usually would, she directed it onto her breast, which he began to palm and fondle.

"Don't ever stop..." she grunted, rolling her hips into the feelings he was creating in her and allowing him to run his fingers back and forth over her nipple.

C.C. felt like she could touch ecstasy – that the blissful thing was actually a tangible thing. Her mind was immersed in a haze of pleasure and love, and only the enrapturing sensations that her lower body was experiencing existed.

She was torn between wanting him to stay there forever and reaching her peak. She had an overwhelming need to come, but the feeling was so good she simply didn't want it to stop. She fell back against Niles' chest, simply giving in to his wonderful touch. She moaned, grunted and groaned as he brought her to the point of ecstasy and back. He would move the shower head every time she was about to come, and being inside her gave him quite a good idea of when she was reaching the point of no return.

It was both maddening and heavenly, and part of her didn't know just how more she could take.

"Niles... please... please, Niles," the blonde rambled, raking her nails up and down his thighs.

"What do you need?" he asked, his voice strained. He was struggling to keep himself from tossing the shower head away, flipping them and simply ramming into her until they both tumbled over a blissful edge.

"I... need... I need to come!" she cried out; he had just adjusted the water pressure and now it was impacting against her clit with even fore force than before. "Please... Niles!"

And he could only let her...

So he turned the water pressure up as high as it would go, and directed it fully against her clit.

With a loud cry of triumph, C.C. tumbled over the edge, her walls contracting and relaxing in a fast and brilliant rhythm as she came. She collapsed against him as she rode out the waves of pleasure, panting heavily.

"That was amazing..." she breathed, feathering kisses all over his body as the last waves of pleasure faded away.

But they weren't done yet. The both of them knew they weren't done yet.

And Niles knew C.C. had begun to recover her strength after her orgasm, as she began to rock her hips back and forth against him, allowing his manhood to slip in and out of her a little. He couldn't help the grunts and groans of pleasure that began to tumble from his own mouth as she did, trying to grin at him, even though the pleasure made that difficult.

However, and despite pleasure clouding his senses, Niles knew exactly how he wanted things to go. He'd vowed to pleasure her and make her feel good, and that's what he intended to do. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her, forcing to halt her rocking motions. She whimpered again, but at this point she was willing to give herself completely to his wishes and fantasies.

And so, he moved from behind her until he was hovering over her and her back was resting against the bathtub. He leaned down to give her a, slow, sensuous kiss as he slipped inside her once again. He began moving with purpose, and C.C. could only hold him; her hand wandering over his back and shoulders.

"You feel so good..." Niles grunted, thrusting into her, staying there for a few moments and withdrawing once again. "So very, very good..."

"So do you," she moaned back, delighting in the feeling of him pushing back into her, stretching her completely. "I love you so much..."

"And I love you..." he fastened his pace – his orgasm was not far along. But he wanted to make her come again... he was going to make her scream in pleasure again!

He began to slam into her harder and faster, and her moans became rhythmic and constant, like his thrusts. She pulled him to her and held him as he slowly took them both to a joyous culmination. The last thing they remembered before they tumbled over the edge, was screaming each other's names. His release seemed eternal, and only after the waves of pleasure had ebbed away, did Niles slip out of her again.

They curled up against the back tub. He was practically cradling C.C. in his arms – she had curled up in a ball by his side, and she had hidden her head in the crook of his neck.

Their breathing was erratic, but they were in the seventh heaven.

That was until...

"We didn't use protection," Niles breathed out when the pesky thought penetrated his mind.

Unlike what had happened the first time they'd been together, C.C. wasn't on the pill anymore. She'd temporarily stopped taking her contraceptive pills because she'd had a bad reaction to the ones her doctor had last prescribed, and she hadn't gotten a prescription for any other type of contraceptive pills, either.

C.C. angled her head upwards towards him, letting her own breath calm a little before she tried speaking, "Oh...yeah..."

She hadn't even thought about it. The whole experience had kind of been spur-of-the-moment...

And neither had really cared enough to stop and think about that kind of thing. They'd wanted their pleasure, and they'd got it.

Maybe one time wouldn't matter so much.

As she thought about it to herself, she huffed out a laugh, "Well, maybe this'll make you a daddy all over again..."

Now there was a thought for the books! Niles being affirmed as someone's father on the same day he set himself on course to become a father again...

He chuckled, "If it did, I wouldn't be disappointed. But I suppose there's only a slim chance, right?"

"Extremely," C.C. relaxed against him, enjoying the feeling of their bodies pressed together. She entwined their fingers, and Niles rubbed his forefinger against hers.

"Well, there's no rush," he said, reaching down a little to kiss the top of her head. "We have all the time in the world."

"Indeed," she agreed. She didn't really care much about the possibility of her getting pregnant – if she did, then fantastic! She and Niles already had a child, but she wouldn't mind welcoming another one.

And if she was being honest, it would actually be wise to try for one soon. She was not as young as she had been when she'd gotten pregnant with Amelia, and as much as she loathed to admit it, her biological clock was ticking.

She supposed she still had a fee more child-bearing years, but the risk of having a complicated pregnancy increased as the years went past. Her first pregnancy had been extremely relaxed and east, so she could only hope that when (and if) the time came, her next pregnancy would be just as tranquil as the first one.

"As a matter of fact..." C.C. mused aloud, stroking his chest with her bejewelled hand. "Why don't we start trying?"

Niles' eyebrows shot up in surprise. Was she... was she serious? They hadn't really discussed the topic of becoming parents – mainly because they already had a daughter – but it had been kind of implicit that they might try in the future.

He loved being a father and he loved C.C., but did she want to start already?

"Are you sure?" he asked cautiously.

C.C.'s brow furrowed. "What, you don't want to? Because it's fine is we-"

"No, no... of course I want to!" he quickly clarified, noticing her discomfort. "I would love if we have another one; I just want to be sure you are sure about this."

"I am," C.C. said. "Especially since... well..." the woman blushed. She knew she wasn't what one would call old, but at the same time she did feel like time was taking its toll on her. She hadn't mentioned it to Niles, but it didn't make the fear any less real.

"Since what?" he asked gently.

"Well... I am... you know... older. And the clock is ticking and I feel... I feel like I am getting close to being too old to be a mother again – not to mention I really want to have more children with you."

That truly warmed Niles' heart. A small part of him had, before this conversation, been afraid that maybe she wouldn't want more children, considering she already had Amelia.

But to actually be there from birth. To see a little one that he had helped to create, not just to nurture, grow up alongside his or her big sister...that felt extremely special to him. And C.C. might have talked about her own age as though it was something to be scorned, but he didn't think so. She had plenty of time to be a mother still, no matter what anyone said.

He kissed her on the lips, "I really want to have more children with you, too. And even if you think you are becoming too old, I don't see it in the slightest. But, if you want for us to start trying as soon as possible, then I am perfectly ready and willing."

C.C. smirked at him, "I'll bet."

He grinned back at her, "Well, what can I say? Making you happy makes me happy."

"As does a number of other things," she nudged him playfully, splashing the water a little.

He slipped an arm down to wind it around her waist, and brought his lips close to her ear, "It's not like you don't enjoy them, too..."

"I never said I didn't," she retorted, her hand slipping down his chest and towards his stomach. "As a matter of fact, I am looking forward to enjoying them again."

What followed was Niles yelp of pleasure as C.C.'s hand wrapped itself around his stiffening member.

"And it seems you are more than up to it," she teased, nipping at his earlobe.

He could only groan – this time, it was him who'd at her mercy.

And, indeed, there was nothing in the world that could be better than that.


	19. Chapter 19

**_Chapter 18_**

Amelia had been feeling restless the entire morning, and the silence in the house – more specifically, the lack of noise product of her father's absence – was putting her on edge.

Her mother was nowhere in sight, either. Well, to be completely honest, she actually knew where she was (she was in her study, working) but she couldn't understand why both of them had allowed the morning to be so… unusual! A normal morning consisted in her Daddy preparing breakfast and then enjoying it together downstairs before they went about their routines. That's why she had immediately noticed the disruption in her otherwise unchanging morning routine –her father was not home and her mother, who usually preferred to work in the afternoon, was already locked up in her study and busy with her work.

She knew that, whenever her Mommy was working, the study was strictly out-of-bounds, but her anguish and the nervousness caused by such an unusual morning (especially since the last time her Daddy had gone away was after a fight) had pushed her to her limits. Amelia marched towards her mother's office with a slightly unsure pace; she almost looked like a little lost puppy, looking for the safety and comfort of home and family.

"Mommy?" Amelia asked meekly as she pushed the study's door open. She immediately spotting her mother going over a few papers.

"Hm?" C.C. looked up from her papers, and frowned. "What is it, sweetie?"

"Um..." Amelia bit her lip, staring at the floor. She wasn't sure if she wanted to ask, after all. The last time she had felt like this was when her Mommy and Daddy had _the huge fight_.

Daddy had come back, and he'd bought a ring to ask Mommy to marry him, that time. But what if it was different this time? What if it wasn't something good this time? She was worried, and she didn't know if she wanted the answer to whether or not it was good.

"It's okay, sweetie," C.C. put down her pen, and left her desk to come and crouch in front of her daughter.

The poor girl looked upset by something, but she didn't know what that could be. Nothing had happened at school that either she or Niles knew of, her homework was all done, she wasn't in trouble, and she didn't appear injured in any way...

What could it be?

"Mia, what's the matter?" C.C. clutched at her daughter's arms lightly, holding her in place and looking her in the eyes.

The girl moved closer and wrapped her arms around her mother, relishing in the feeling of safety that being held by her provided. Her Mommy stroked her hair and placed a kiss on her temple, almost as if wanting to soothe her.

"What's bothering you, sweetheart?" C.C. asked softly.

"Why isn't Daddy here?" Amelia blurted out, tightening her grip on her mother. "Did he... did he go away?"

"Oh, sweetie..." C.C. sat on the floor and brought Amelia to her, settling her on her lap so she could cradle her in her arms.

Both she and Niles hadn't wanted this to go this way! This was supposed to be a surprise for her!

In hindsight and considering what had happened the night of their engagement, Niles mysteriously disappearing hadn't been the wisest of ideas, but now that Amelia had actually come forward, she could easily vanish the fears that were assaulting her child.

"Don't worry, Mia, Daddy just went out for a little while!" she explained, stroking her child's cheek. "He actually has a surprise for you!"

Her words quickly piqued the girl's attention and caused an immediate change in her mood and body language. A surprise? So her Daddy hadn't gone? He was just looking for her surprise?

"Really?!" the little girl exclaimed, her worried face slipping from her face and being quickly replaced by a beaming smile. "What is the surprise?"

C.C. chuckled. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?"

"No… maybe not..." Amelia snickered; her mother was gently tickling her sides.

"Then I guess you'll just have to wait and see!" C.C. said and she got to her feet, scooping Amelia up in her arms as she did so. "Now, let's go downstairs; I'll prepare you some orange juice and we can watch cartoons until Daddy gets home, okay?"

"Okay!" Amelia said cheerfully as they both began their way downstairs.

After C.C. had quickly poured some juice into two glasses, mother and daughter snuggled together on the sofa and turned on the TV. They were in the middle of a Spongebob Squarepants episode when the glorious noise of the clinking of keys echoed in the house, being quickly followed by the front door opening. C.C. switched off the TV as Amelia's head snapped to the direction of the door, which had shut again. The sound of footsteps came from that direction.

But it sounded like more than one person...

"Daddy!" Amelia cried out, shuffling herself off the sofa and heading for the front of the house.

She couldn't wait to see him. She'd missed him all morning, become certain that something was wrong and that he was leaving them both forever, and then been told that he actually had a surprise for her...

Niles grinned at her as she came hurtling towards him, "Good morning, sweetheart!"

He scooped her up into his arms, kissed her hair, and when she had finished burying her face in his neck (she had to hug him tightly just for a little while), Amelia looked up...and noticed that her father wasn't alone.

She pulled away, and Niles noticed that she'd seen the elderly couple stood behind him, so he turned so that both could face them. The old woman was fairly small and plump, with white hair and a beaming smile which made her bright blue eyes shine. The old man, also white-haired, had a lop-sided grin that said he could cheer anyone up whenever he wanted.

And they both carried suitcases with them.

"Daddy, who are they?" Amelia mumbled.

"They are my Mommy and Daddy," Niles explained gently. "Amelia, these are your grandparents."

Amelia's eyes widened and her jaw hung wide open. Her _grandparents_?! She really had another Grandpa and another Grandmamma? She knew that most of her friends had two sets of grandparents, but she had never thought that she'd get her very own second set of grandparents, too!

When growing up, she had gotten used to having a small family; it had only been she, her Mommy and her Mommy's parents...

But it wasn't just them anymore... now she had a Daddy, and it seemed that now her Daddy had given her a new Grandpa and Grandma, too.

" _Bonjour_ Mia," the older woman said, moving closer to her son. She had quite a strange accent, and her eyes reminded Amelia of her Daddy's... and, weirdly enough, they also reminded her of her own!

"Hi," the child replied shyly, still clinging to her father. "You really are my Grandmamma?"

"Oui, ma petite," her grandmother replied. "My name eez Marie, Marie Brightmore! I am your Daddy's Mommy, but you can call me Mémère. Your Daddy 'as told us a lot about you!"

"Really?" Amelia asked, fascinated. "I didn't know I had more grandparents! But why do you sound so weird, Mémère?"

"Mia...!" Niles was about to scold.

But Marie laughed it off, waving a hand dismissively before her son could get any further.

"Oh, don't worry so much about eet, Niles! She eez only young, no?" Marie reached out for Amelia's hand, and gripped it tightly, in a way that Amelia actually found very comforting. "I am from France, Amelia. And where I am from, people sound like zhis."

"Oh," Mia leaned forward a little bit, intrigued by the notion of a whole other place that sounded different. She looked at the man who her Daddy said was now her Grandpa. "Are you from France, too?"

The old man chuckled in delight, "Oh, no, sweetheart. I am from England. Where we raised your Daddy."

Amelia smiled. The man did talk like her Daddy.

This new man held out a hand for her to shake, "I am Joseph Brightmore, but you can call me Granddad."

Amelia took his hand and shook it, giggling. She liked these new grandparents very much already.

"And you can call me Mia," the girl said. If everybody had gotten to introduce themselves, then she wanted to do so too! "Grandpa, is England near the USA?"

The older man chuckled again. "No, sweetie, it's really far away! We had to take a plane to get here!"

"Really?" Amelia said, taking a look of concern. "Then you must be tired! Daddy, they are old! They need to rest, don't they?"

"Mia!" Niles exclaimed, but when he caught his mother's look he decided not to chastise Amelia. Amelia was just a child, and she didn't exactly know that people weren't supposed to say things like that.

"As a matter of fact," Marie spoke again. "I do feel a little tired. But I still want to meet your Mommy! Your Daddy 'as told me a lot about 'er, too."

Amelia beamed again, bouncing her body in her father's arms. Her Mommy was surely going to love her new grandparents! They had to meet each other at once!

"She is in the living room!" the girl said. "We were watching TV together before you came! I can take you to her."

"That sounds lovely," Joseph said, coming forward and wrapping an arm around his wife. "Lead the way, Little One!"

Amelia giggled as her father put her down on the floor once again. "My Daddy calls me that way sometimes!"

"Zhat's because we used to call 'im Little One, too!" Marie explained as Mia took her and Joseph's hands and began guiding them to C.C.. "Your Daddy was once just as small as you are!"

"Really?" the little girl sounded like she didn't believe them.

"Oh, indeed, yes!" Marie, Niles knew, would be perfectly happy to talk about this as they made their way into the living room. She held her hand to her hip. "He used to be zhis tall!"

Amelia turned towards Niles, "Were you really, Daddy?"

"Indeed I was, Little One," he conceded, smiling softly. "Everyone is that height at some point in their life?"

"Even Mommy?" Amelia asked as they went through the door. "She's so tall..."

"Even me, sweetie," C.C. piped up, lifting herself from the sofa, where she had been sat nervously, thinking about how best to introduce herself to her soon-to-be in-laws. She approached them confidently, a beaming smile on her face, and prepared to put out her hand to shake theirs politely.

"Hello, I'm-"

But Marie got there first.

"You must be C.C.!" she cried, pulling the blonde woman down to embrace her and plant a kiss on both her cheeks. The older woman pulled away to give her future daughter-in-law a good look. "You are just as beautiful as Niles told us!" Marie exclaimed and pulled C.C. into a hug.

"She really is a beauty, son," Joseph concurred, patting Niles' shoulder. "And so is your little girl! Your letters didn't make them justice!"

"You wrote about us in your letters, Daddy?" Amelia queried, peering up at her father. She had gone back to her father whilst her grandparents met her Mommy and was now hugging his leg.

"But of course he did!" Marie exclaimed, pulling away from C.C.. "He told us everyzhing about you, since zhe very first time he and your Mommy first met!"

"Oh, did he, really?" C.C. asked, smirking. The panicked expression on Niles' face told her this was going to be great. "And what did he tell you about me in those first letters?"

"Maman, why don't you and da-"

"Oh, so many zhings, dear!" Marie cut a mortified Niles off and wrapped an arm around C.C.. "He was lost since day one, let me tell you zhat."

"Really, Maman," Niles tried again, an almost pleading edge to his voice. "Why don't you relax for a moment? I'll bring you tea!"

"What a good idea, Mon Cher!" Marie exclaimed, only the mischievous glint in her eyes told Niles that she had no intention to let this go. "You go get zhe tea – I have a lot to tell 'er as we wait!"

"There is no escaping," Joseph whispered to a disgruntled Niles. "Get yourself ready for the embarrassing stories, lad, you know she has plenty and she also happens to adore sharing them..."

Niles grumbled slightly irritably, sure that his father's words were true. His mother wouldn't waste an opportunity to tell stories about her son, and C.C. most likely wouldn't let go of an opportunity to hear embarrassing stories about him, either. So he made his way into the kitchen, Amelia having let go of his leg because she'd decided that she wanted to hear some stories from her grandparents, too.

He resolved to make the tea as slowly and as loudly as he possibly could, but the occasional burst of laughter – mostly from his fiancée, was still audible from the other room.

He wondered if he could delay having to go back in by baking a cake…

Or six...

But that wouldn't keep him from having to face it forever. He'd just have to deal with the embarrassment as best he could. So, he carried the tea and glass of milk for Amelia in on a tray, a plate of cookies on one side for them to all enjoy.

"And zhat was when I knew zhat he 'ad fallen 'ard and fast!" Marie concluded, and Niles could feel his ears burning already. "He 'ad only known you for one day, but I could tell – he'd mentioned you more times in 'is letter zhan he 'ad anyone else!"

C.C. smirked up at him as he entered the room, and suddenly his entire face felt like it was on fire. Of course his mother would have to tell her all about that first letter!

And she was enjoying every second of it.

C.C. turned back to Marie, resting her chin on her fist in interest, and a grin still plastered on her face, "Oh, did he now?"

It was just Niles' luck that his mother was more than willing to continue. He glumly set down the tray, and everyone grabbed for their cups and some cookies, but Marie wasn't deterred from her story in the slightest.

"Oh, my, yes!" she sipped at her tea, before continuing. "Every letter, from zhen onward, mentioned you. Eet was always " _Miss Babcock said_ " zhis, or " _Miss Babcock did_ " zhat, and I thought eet was only a matter of time before zhe two of you would get togezher."

Niles chanced a glance at his fiancée, only to find her smirking at him like she was hearing the best story in the entire world. Well, maybe to her it was. To him, it was just something that made him want to run from the room and hide until it was over. But as he tried to look anywhere other than at C.C., he noticed the look on Amelia's face as well. She seemed mesmerised by what her grandmother had to say, and she only came out of it when she realised her father was looking at her.

She beamed at him, too, "You really did love Mommy right from the start, didn't you, Daddy?"

He couldn't help but return her smile. He almost couldn't believe just how happy seeing Amelia happy made him – it was almost as if his entire reason of being was making her happy...

He didn't have a manual on how to be a parent, but he was learning, and the one thing he knew for a fact, was that Amelia was the most precious thing he and C.C. had in their lives. As long as she was happy and safe, then everything would be just fine. Her smile made him forget about the embarrassment caused by his mother's stories; it made him forget about every little thing that was wrong in his life – right then, only happiness existed.

He looked between the girl and his fiancée – the two most important women in his life – and he gently sat Amelia in his lap.

"Yes, Mia, I loved your Mommy from the start," he said, beaming. "Even if we drove each other a little insane."

Amelia giggled. "You did that?"

"Of course!" C.C. cut in. "Me and your Daddy had a prank war going on for many, many years! There was this one time when I got your Daddy to be mine for one whole day, and I made him build a gazebo for a terrace that I didn't have!"

Mia's little hands clasped over her mouth in shock, "Mommy! You really did that?!"

"Mm-hm," C.C. nodded proudly, her eyes glinting with mischief intended in the direction of her husband-to-be. "And I made him dye his hair bright red!"

Their little girl burst into loud, delighted laughter, and even Niles' parents were stifling giggles. He knew he was turning red again, too.

Well, two could play at the embarrassment game. And it was only fun and fair.

Though he had to be careful. He didn't want to accidentally talk about any of the pranks where someone had gotten hurt. The more he thought about those, the crueller and more guilty he felt. He knew they'd moved on from all of that, but it didn't feel right to go back to them. They were building a future together, and had to move on.

So, he'd talk about the lighter ones that they could look back on without anyone becoming upset.

"Well, what about the time I made you run all the way across town to get to a store that did, in fact, deliver after all?" he reminded her, raising his eyebrows and barely holding back a smirk.

C.C. gave him an unimpressed look, "And you never said a word, did you?"

"I distinctly remember calling out to you," Niles shrugged playfully, exaggerating his confused expression for comic effect. "It isn't my fault if you didn't hear me..."

C.C. rolled her eyes as Amelia squealed with laughter. The blonde was secretly amused by it, too, even if that part of her life felt like it had happened a lifetime ago.

As a matter of fact, she sometimes found herself wondering about its existence. Try as she might, it was almost impossible to truly and really think about the life she'd been leading before Amelia had been born. It had been such a life changing event – such a monumental change of course in her life – that her past life now seemed like a bad dream.

A bad dream full of vices, addictions, pain and loneliness.

Amelia had paved the way for her recovery, and consequently, for her happiness. Granted, her life had been somewhat incomplete without Niles, but Amelia had undoubtedly given her a reason of being – a purpose in life.

She was just glad that it had led to this, too.

She was so immersed in her nostalgic musings that she almost didn't hear her daughter's question. Only when the silence around her became too noticeable did she hear Amelia...

"But Mommy, if you had so much fun with Daddy, why did you go away?" the girl asked, comfortably nestled against Niles' chest.

That took the smile from C.C.'s face straight away; she couldn't help it. That was a slightly more difficult question. And it certainly wasn't one for company. Especially not in-laws, who were now looking more than a little uncomfortable.

It made C.C. wonder if Niles had mentioned her mental health, and her subsequent leaving, in his letters. If she'd been such a large part of his life from the very beginning, it was more than likely.

Luckily, they both seemed to have a sense of decency about the whole thing. Joseph politely inquired as to the location of the bathroom, while Marie noted that everyone's drinks needed refilling, and quickly gathered the cups to take them back to the kitchen for a refill.

Well, it wasn't exactly an opportune moment, but it was the only one they were going to get for now. And Amelia probably wouldn't wait for something like this.

No. She had to tell her, and be honest with her.

"Because..." C.C. took in a breath, and reached for Niles' hand, which she gripped tight. "Because I wasn't very well, sweetie. I had a very good job and I was surrounded by people a lot, but I wasn't happy. I was actually very very sad, and I needed some time to be by myself, away from everyone else and everything that I knew. Being around people and having that job wasn't making me happy, so I needed to go away for a while and find what would make me happy again."

Amelia's brow furrowed, almost giving away just how confused she was. And it was completely normal – she hadn't known her mother's personality from when she was a producer, and in her mind the only time she had seen her Mommy sad was when she and her Daddy had had a fight. The idea of an unhappy C.C. was foreign (if slightly unbelievable) to the girl. Her Mommy was someone who was usually in a good mood, so the notion of an unhappy Mommy was strange, to say the least.

Amelia straightened her back and looked thoughtfully between her mother and father. She then lay her head on Niles' shoulder and continued.

"And did you get better, Mommy?" the girl asked, playing with his shirt.

"Yes I did," C.C. said, reaching out and stroking her ham daughter's hair. "I actually had you, so how could I be unhappy?"

Amelia smiled, and in turn, that made Niles smile. There may have been a lot of pain and separation along the way, but it had eventually allowed for a family to form.

A family that he could call his own, and would never let go of for as long as he lived. Even if he couldn't help but wish a few things were different in the story, he was so grateful to have Amelia. She had helped her mother in ways she was too young to even realise, and she had brought them back together without even knowing it.

He adored her, and she deserved the best father in the world, which he strove to be every day.

Then, in a move Niles believed was probably more closely related to design than coincidence, his parents chose this moment to walk back in, his mother carrying the fresh round of tea on the tray. She'd refilled the plate of cookies, too, despite not actually knowing where they were kept. He supposed all mothers had certain features that were the same, namely the love and care they showed for the people around them.

They retook their seats, smiling as the little family all embraced in front of them. Niles smiled up at them over the top of C.C.'s head. He couldn't believe his mother knew how he felt about her before he even knew it himself, but he was oddly glad that someone recognised it. He supposed it was because that meant there was a chance he'd recognise his own feelings, too.

And now they were going to be married. He really and truly had everything.

* * *

 **AN: We hope you enjoy the chapter! We would appreciate your reviews!**


	20. Chapter 20

**_Chapter 19_**

The entire morning had felt slow for C.C. – slow and nerve wracking. The previous night hadn't been any better, for it had been the first night in a long while that she had spent completely alone. As was tradition, they had spent the night before the wedding apart, and Niles had stayed at the Sheffield's with Maxwell and his father, while Marie, Fran and Amelia had stayed in their home.

Both Marie and Fran had come over to help both C.C. and Amelia get ready, and that's exactly what they'd done. They'd woken them up at 6:00 a.m. sharp, with a wonderful breakfast in bed; Marie had prepared C.C.'s favourite pancakes with orange juice and French toast, and after both mother and daughter had practically wolfed down their meal, the preparations had started.

But now, after spending almost all of their morning getting ready, everyone was perfectly dressed and ready to go, and no one was more eager to go to the church than Amelia. The girl was practically bouncing off the walls; she just couldn't wait for her Mommy's wedding – this was her first wedding ever, hence the excitement.

But seeing as they'd still had some time until going to the church, they had made themselves fairly comfortable in the living room. They had to wait for Stewart and B.B. to come pick them up in the limo. Actually, _two_ limos – one was to carry Fran, B.B., Marie and Amelia, while the other would take Stewart and C.C. to the church.

"Where is he, Mommy?" Amelia asked, fiddling with the end of her dress and glancing over at the window, almost as if hoping to see the two limousines parked before their house.

"He'll be 'ere any moment from now, chérie," Marie intervened, knowing that C.C. was probably too nervous to speak or reason with her overexcited (if slightly impatient) child. "Zhere must be some traffic, zhat's all."

C.C. gave Marie a thankful smile before reaching out for the remote and handing it to her daughter. Some TV would be a nice distraction, and it would keep the child from badgering them with questions.

"What do you say if we watch some TV while we wait for grandpa?"

"I'll bring the snacks!" Fran piped up, and dashed to the kitchen, not giving the other three people in the room time to complain – not that they would have complained anyway. Comfort eating was a pleasure C.C. had grown to adore ever since she'd been pregnant with Amelia.

Soon enough, the four women were comfortably settled on the sofa, shoes off and munching on delicious treats as they waited. Amelia was comfortably lying against her grandmother's side, and C.C. had her feet on the coffee table.

That's how Stewart and B.B. found them when they finally got to their daughter's mansion.

"Hey!" Stewart called out as they both entered the living room. "We noticed the door was unlocked-"

"Hardly safe for a New York street," B.B. piped up.

"Not now, B.B.; in fact, not even today," Stewart said this all with a smile on his face as he took in the sight of his daughter, who had stood to greet him. "C.C., you look marvellous! Simply stunning!"

He could hardly hug her for fear of messing up her hair or her makeup, but C.C. didn't mind that so much this time. She beamed back at her parents, too excited and nervous about the day to really care about her mother's comment (she had left the door unlocked so that they could come in, in case everyone was upstairs and couldn't come to the door).

B.B. waved a hand, shaking her head, "Do forgive me, I was simply worrying, and I slipped back into old bad habits! You look _divine_ , my dear."

"Thank you, Daddy, Mother," she couldn't help but cast her eyes towards her own dress. She only hoped that Niles would like it, too.

"And Mia, darling, you look just as gorgeous as your mother!" B.B. beamed at her granddaughter as Stewart loudly greeted Fran and Marie. "Are you ready?"

"We just have to put shoes on, and then we'll all be ready," C.C. grabbed for her heels, which everyone had agreed to line up neatly by the wall so they were out of the way and unable to get scraped or damaged. She was feeling a little more apprehensive now, but she wanted to get there as soon as possible. "Come on, Mia! Do you need help getting your shoes on?"

"No, Mommy! Mémère is helping me already," Mia said as Marie patiently slipped the adorable burgundy court shoes on her feet. "Thank you, Mémère!"

"It was my pleasure, chérie!" Marie exclaimed as both grandmother and granddaughter rose to their feet. "But now, we 'ave to go! Zhe groom is waiting and we don't want to make 'im wait!"

"Yeah! Daddy needs to see you now, Mommy!" Mia said as she ran to her mother. She knew she was leaving a bit earlier than her mother would, so she gave her a strong hug and held her close. You look so pretty!"

C.C. tried very hard not to cry – tears of happiness of course. She was sensitive enough as she was, and her daughter's sweet words were pulling at her heart. "So do you, Mia," C.C. gave her girl a kiss on the top of her head and ushered her back to Marie. "Now go, sweetie! You are the flower girl and you have to be at the church before I get there!"

"Okay!" Mia laughed and skipped back to Marie, who grasped at her hand. "See you soon, Mommy!"

Moments later, the mansion was empty except for her and her father. Stewart hadn't said much since he'd arrived, but now that they were alone he didn't hesitate to wrap his child in a tight hug.

"Are you ready?" he asked, holding her close. "Because I'm not."

C.C. knew he said it in jest, but at the same time she was his baby girl, in a sense, and she knew well just how hard letting go of one's little girl could be.

God... she was probably going to be just as emotional on Amelia's wedding day as her father was being right then.

"It's kind of been a long time coming, Daddy," she joked in return, hoping to hold off her own tears.

"I know," he hugged her a little tighter, making sure he didn't mess up what had taken a long time to get in place. He knew his daughter would want to look pristine when she arrived at the church.

He was sure he could bet his house and all the worldly possessions inside that Niles wouldn't see anything less than divine beauty when his little girl went to the altar, but it was up to what C.C. saw.

"But still," he continued, pulling away a little to look at her again. "I don't think a parent can ever truly be ready for the day their child gets married. I can be as ecstatic as any other father, and I am because you and Niles are clearly supposed to be together. But I can also be as sad as any other father, because time has gone by. You will always be my little girl, but you're grown up as well, and it's really starting to hit me."

"It's only starting to hit you _now_?" C.C. choked out, barely able to keep the tears back by this stage.

"Of course, I haven't seen you as that little six year-old whose only desire was a pony for some time," Stewart clarified with a laugh. "Even though you have a daughter and a spectacular career, there is nothing quite like this. It really hits you, just how far life has taken us all. I'm sure you and Niles will be the same with Amelia, one day."

C.C. couldn't help but shed a few extra tears as that thought crept into her already sensitive mind. She couldn't quite explain why, but the idea of Mia's wedding and Niles giving her away made her awfully emotional. She had been slightly more sensitive as of late, if she was being honest… she was probably going to get her period soon.

But still, even if it made her emotional, C.C. was looking forward to the day when she'd get to see her beautiful daughter marching down the aisle, her arm enlaced with Niles' as he walked her to the man of her life.

Probably the fact that Niles would someday do that was what was making her emotional in the first place – he had come into her little family, in a way, as a stranger, and now he was a vital part of it. Not only he was about to become her husband, but he was also Amelia's father. Both in paper and in his heart.

She didn't know what she'd done to deserve him, but she knew damn well just how lucky she was to have such a wonderful man by her side.

But Stewart had a bit of a point, too – the idea of giving Mia away, of letting her finally chase her dreams and begin her own life, was a bit overwhelming. She would always be her baby girl, but time was passing by, and Mia was growing, and there was nothing she could do to stop time from passing by.

Nevertheless she was grateful – grateful because Mia was growing into a beautiful, responsible and kind individual, and much of this was thanks to Niles.

"You're right," she let out a breath. "You're thinking very far into the future, but you're right."

"And you are trying not to think about how close it will actually seem when it gets here," Stewart joked. "Believe me, I used to do the same thing. But if you're anything like me in any other regard, then you'll be just as happy as I am today. You make me very proud, C.C.."

C.C. could feel a warmth rising in her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Thanks, Daddy," she said. "That really means a lot to me. I'm...really glad that we're all able to be together today, as a family."

"So am I, Kitten," Stewart rubbed her arm, and patted her back as though starting to direct her towards the door. "Speaking of which, we should start making tracks. We can't exactly spend the day as a family if they're all waiting for us somewhere else. And, even more importantly, you have a groom waiting for you among them."

He was right, and C.C.'s heart felt like it could explode with the excitement. Niles would no doubt already be there, ready and waiting.

Ready and waiting for them to start their lives together, as husband and wife.

They'd both been waiting for this, clearly for a lot longer than either of them had actually realised.

Maybe they had been meant to be since the very first moment they'd seen each other – granted, in the beginning it had been hate at first sight, there was no doubt about that! They had truly and really detested each other, but as the years had gone past and they'd grown older, the things that had one been annoying became endearing; they'd learnt how to deal with each other, and somehow that hate turned into an odd and very _complicated_ friendship.

Complicated in the sense that, after hate had been taken out of the equation, the sexual tension that had always been there (but that had been hidden beneath a layer of hate) had surfaced, for better or for worse. Feelings had come a long while later, but their pride and their stubbornness had been two untameable obstacles that had kept them apart during C.C.'s years as a producer. Her breakdown had been the straw that had broken the camel's back, and it had meant goodbye for a few (anguishing) years.

They'd needed the time – they'd needed to change and revaluate their priorities, and although it had been a long and complicated ride, they wouldn't have it any other way. They were in love, and they could finally show it to each other; their stupid and stubborn pride would deter them from experiencing their love. Not anymore.

So, she confidently took her father's hand and gripped it tight. It was time to go.

It was time to become Mrs Brightmore.

"Ready to go?"

"As I'll ever be," C.C. replied confidently.

That was Stewart's cue to begin escorting C.C. to the awaiting limousine, which, once the bride and her father were settled, quickly sped off towards St Patrick's Cathedral. As the car neared the church, C.C. spotted the imposing doors in the distance, closed and waiting for her arrival.

It almost felt like a dream...

But it was real, and the magnitude of the event hit C.C. full force when she suddenly found herself standing before the doors, still on her father's arms. She barely remembered getting out of the limo or even the small walk from the car to the church – now, as the bridal march was played, she could only hear her galloping heart.

"Remember," Stewart whispered. "Keep your head held high. This is your day."

She looked up at him and smiled, just in time for the doors to open.

Needless to say, Niles couldn't take his eyes of his gorgeous – no, scratch that! Of his _magnanimous_ bride. He couldn't imagine a more magnificent sight – his heart had gathered pace as Amelia had made her way down the aisle, looking absolutely wonderful in her bridesmaid's dress, but now that he was actually seeing his bride, it was beating at a speed so fast he wasn't entirely sure he could actually feel it.

It was just like the first time she'd told him she loved him – this feeling, only it was magnified. Because they had come further than he had once imagined they ever would, because she had allowed him to be the father of her child, because they were here today to announce to the world that they wanted to be together forever.

They were going to be together forever. They were going to have their family, and they were going to be happy.

They already were all those things, in truth, but this was just confirming to all that it wasn't going away.

And as C.C. made her way down the aisle towards him, her own beaming smile matched his. She took her place by his side, with Stewart next to her, and the priest stepped forward in order to begin the ceremony as the congregation took their seats.

They barely noticed anything that went on during the first part of the wedding mass – except, maybe, their daughter's actions. She was sat in between her two sets of grandparents, who were all, by this stage, completely overwhelmed. So was Amelia, for that matter, and C.C. couldn't help the smile on her features when she spotted the little velvet box she was holding – inside that box, C.C. knew, were their wedding bands.

They had chosen a beautiful red gold set from Tiffany & Co. and had gotten then engraved a few weeks ago.

C.C. couldn't wait to have it on her finger...

But even if they had registered a few things going on around them, they still were too caught up in each other to really pay attention to anything apart from their own little world. Of course that they responded to the priest, sang the different hymns and recited the different prayers when they had to, but in their minds only the other existed.

After what felt like an eternity, the priest indicated them to stand – the time for the blessing and posterior marriage rite had come. Their witnesses – Maxwell and Fran – gave a step forward and positioned behind the soon-to-be Mr and Mrs Brightmore.

"Dearly beloved," the priest began. "You have come together into the house of the Church so that in the presence of the Church's minister and the community your intention to enter into Marriage may be strengthened by the Lord with a sacred seal. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions."

The couple nodded, and the priest proceeded.

"Chastity-Claire and Niles Andrew, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?"

"We have," the couple responded in unison.

"Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honour each other for as long as you both shall live?" the priest asked.

"We are."

"Are you prepared to accept more children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and His Church?"

The couple smiled tenderly. Yes, they already had a daughter who was the light of their lives, and in many ways responsible for them getting together, but if everything went according to plan, they'd soon give little Mia a sibling to complete their already perfect family.

"We are."

"Since it is your intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church."

Niles and the C.C. joined their right hands, which were trembling. It was good to know the feeling of exhilaration was shared.

"I, Niles Andrew, take you, Chastity-Claire, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honour you all the days of my life."

"I, Chastity-Claire," C.C. began, her eyes welled up with tears. "Take you, Niles Andrew, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honour you all the days of my life."

The bishop smiled at the couple and said, "May the Lord in his kindness strengthen the consent you have declared before the Church and graciously bring to fulfilment his blessings within you. What God has joined, let no one put asunder."

Immediately afterwards, a beaming Amelia came forward with their rings. Her eyes shone as she handed over the rings, which were gently placed before the couple, and the priest made the sign of the cross over them.

"May the Lord bless these rings, which you will give to each other as a sign of your love and fidelity."

Niles, his hands not really letting up in their shaking because of the adrenaline, lifted the ring that was to sit on C.C.'s finger. He took her hand in one of his own, steadied his breathing, and began the next part.

"Chastity-Claire, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I thee worship, and all my worldly goods on thee I do bestow."

He might not really have had much in the way of worldly goods, but she had given him things far more important than that – love, a home, a family...and he would return all of that with everything he had, inside himself and out, for as long as he lived, and even beyond that.

The ring he slipped onto her finger was a perfect symbol of the love he would feel for her forever, the never-ending circlet representing their eternity.

And then it was time for C.C. to do the same, though she was more than on the brink of tears as she took his hand and got the ring ready to slip onto his finger.

"Niles Andrew, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I thee worship, and all my worldly goods on thee I do bestow."

She had plenty by way of worldly goods, she knew that, but none of it could compare to what Niles gave her. He completed her family in the most wonderful of ways, and her life would be so much emptier for not having him in it. He was the father of her child, and would hopefully be the father of more one of these days, and made the house they shared into one complete home...

He was home, she realised, as she slid the ring into place at the point where his finger met his knuckle, and she stroked his hand, beaming, as she finished.

The priest lay his own hand over their joined ones, to say his final part.

"What God brings together, may no man put asunder. By the exchanging of vows and by the giving and receiving of rings, these two people have declared their love for one another, and may now be pronounced husband and wife together. You may kiss your bride."

Niles didn't need to be told twice. Using their joined hands, he pulled C.C. a little closer towards him, and their lips met in a soft, romantic kiss.

They didn't hear the loud applause from the congregation; not even a single pair of hands. They were still caught up in each other, and in the fact that they could now celebrate that they were married.

At long last, they were husband and wife.

Soon enough they felt a small being wrapping her two little arms around them. Niles pulled away for a moment and quickly hoisted Amelia up in his arms, and the little family held each other close. They had come such a long way to get to this point... they deserved their moment of triumph.

"I love you," Niles whispered to C.C. and he gave her yet another kiss in the lips. C.C. quickly reciprocated and Amelia giggled.

For her it was still amusing to see her parents showing their love to each other.

The Brightmore family then turned to the congregation and began making their way up the aisle, towards the awaiting limo outside. Their loved ones were outside, too, and rice was thrown at them to celebrate their nuptials.

They were beginning a new adventure – one that would take them to uncharted land; land that they were more than eager to explore together, as the family they always knew they were.

Once the limo was moving and on its way to their wedding party at the Waldorf-Astoria – B.B. wouldn't settle for anything less and she had taken care of planning it – Amelia clambered to her father's lap and she hugged him. She then leaned forward and hugged her mother.

"I love you Mommy and Daddy. And I am glad you chose us, Daddy."

Niles felt himself tearing up as his gaze travelled between his wife ( _his wife_!) and their daughter, and he brought one arm around C.C.'s shoulders to pull her in for a hug, and using the other to bring Amelia to them both.

"I'm glad you both chose me, Little One," he hugged his family tightly, feeling almost completely overwhelmed with love and gratitude. He kissed C.C. on the cheek and Amelia's hair, and just held them, completely at peace. "And I love you both so much..."

"We both love you too," C.C. said, returning his kiss on her cheek with one of her own. "And we wouldn't trade you for anyone."

And he was so very thankful for that. From first thinking that C.C. had fallen in love with someone else and had a child, to thinking that maybe Amelia would prefer her birth father to him, he had been fearful that something would come from nowhere and take his family from him.

And he was so very grateful that he had been wrong. Nothing was taking this away from him. This was their life now, together forever. And they were about to go celebrate it. The Waldorf-Astoria was almost in sight, and with his family in his arms, he knew he'd enter the hotel as the proudest and happiest man who ever lived.


	21. Chapter 21

**_Chapter 20_**

C.C. groaned as she slowly rolled to her side on the bed, but even the smallest of movements made her ridiculously nauseous. For the past days the only thing she'd been able to do was curl up in a ball with the covers tightly secured around her as she tried to bear the nausea between episodes of vomiting.

Her stomach had been incredibly upset since they had returned from their honeymoon a week ago – they'd had an extra-long honeymoon, for they had spent two weeks in the Maldives without Amelia (who'd stayed with her paternal grandparents) and then they'd met with Marie, Joseph and Amelia in Orlando, where they'd visited the different theme parks. No one but C.C. had fallen ill, so Niles had his doubts about it being an ailment that she'd caught during their vacation.

If she was being honest, it was a blessing that Niles hadn't fallen under the effects of this mysterious virus, for it had allowed the routine of the house to run its usual course without mishaps. Seeing as she was so nauseous and tired, her husband had been taking care of everything while she got better, and that included Amelia, who had spent the night at the Sheffield's.

It was a fact that C.C. always felt the worst during the mornings, but the nausea and the tiredness would still bind her to her bed for days at a time! She hadn't been able to eat breakfast for a while now, because she simply vomited everything she ate, no matter how small the portion was.

Niles had noticed her constant nausea was making her dehydrated, so, when they'd realised she wasn't showing any sings that she was getting better, they'd agreed that she'd see a doctor in the following days.

But for now, Niles had to take care of her. Hence the warm cup of tea he'd prepared for her that morning – it was the only thing she could stomach.

"Love?" Niles' soft voice called from the door. "I brought you some tea."

C.C. whimpered, not being able to sit up.

She could almost hear the frown in the "hm" he let out at her condition, and at her wordless but not soundless reply. It was probably bothering him a lot more than he was letting on, her being like this, but he was keeping it to himself. He knew she didn't usually like too much fuss when she was ill, even if she really did love him taking care of her as well.

It was just as well she had the perfect man. He knew exactly the right amount of care and attention she'd want and need.

Well, truth be told right then she wanted the maximum amount of care and attention (anything if it could make her feel better!), and he seemed to pick up on this, too. He wandered over, and settled the tray gently on the bedside table, before taking a seat on the mattress next to her, carefully laying a hand on her back to rub it over the covers.

"Not feeling any better this morning?"

She could barely bring herself to reply, "No..."

She wished she had the strength to at least sit up and look at Niles, but she felt like she'd be sick if she even tried. No, it was best to stay down. Whatever this mystery illness was, it was taking everything out of her!

She felt guilty for having to leave everything to Niles. He'd been taking care of everything all over the house and Amelia as well...she'd have to make it up to him, and to their daughter, for not being able to do more during that time.

Of course, Niles would probably say that being well came first.

"Maybe it's time we go and see a doctor about this," he suggested. "It's not like you to not even be able to get out of bed, even if you are ill..."

C.C. nodded, carefully edging closer to Niles' and curling her body against his. She could feel him stroking her hair and when she opened her eyes and finally looked up, she found a pair of concerned, light-blue eyes.

"I know," she said, feeling her stomach churning. "But let's wait for a little while – I barely have strength to open my eyes, let alone go to the hospital."

Niles sigh again. He didn't know what was going on with her, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't worried sick. They'd just gotten married! They were supposed to be enjoying their time together, not being bound to their bed!

But she did have a point – she was too weak to move. The vomiting and the dehydration had taken a toll on her, so she was in no condition to move.

"What if we call for a doctor to come home?" he suggested.

"Well... that sounds like a-"

And, suddenly, it was like someone had slapped C.C. in the face. Realisation had just struck her like a lighting! There had only been one other time when she'd been forced to call a doctor due to her persistent nausea, and that one time had been when she'd been suffering from morning sickness in Buenos Aires. She remembered she'd felt horrible that way before, so could she really be…?

 _Oh God..._

This was not an ailment. This was an entirely different thing!

"C.C., what is it?" Niles' full concern was now clear in his voice. "Do you think you're going to throw up?"

"...I'd be lying if I said no," she began, swallowing as best she could. "But I've just...thought of something."

That took Niles aback a little, and he couldn't help but partially screw up his face in thought. What did she mean, thought of something? What could possibly have struck her, right now, right in the middle of her feeling like this?

"What have you thought of?"

"Think about it, Niles. Why could I be feeling like this, without having any sort of virus?" she replied, sounding fairly calm despite her nausea. Maybe it was to stop herself from being sick, still.

That only made him more curious.

For a split second, that was. Until the implications kicked in and the calculations started in his head...and then he realised that calculations weren't really necessary, considering the amount of times they'd...

Were they really...?

"Babcock, do you mean to tell me that you think you're-"

"Pregnant?" C.C. finished for him, hugging the covers more. "Maybe. But we should still call the doctor anyway, and they can confirm it for us."

"Or, I could go out and get you a pregnancy test?" he couldn't help but feel energised at the idea of them expanding their family, and he wanted to know as soon as possible. A doctor would take too long for his liking. "If you're feeling up to using it, that is."

Well... that could work too.

A pregnancy test would be faster, and it wouldn't require her to get out of bedroom right then. If, indeed, it was positive, they could simply go to the obstetrician the following day.

"Yeah... that'll work too," C.C. choked out, feeling a wave of nausea coming over her. It was a horrid feeling, but it did remind her of when she was pregnant with Amelia. "Go get it now, I can wait here."

Niles grimaced. He didn't really like the idea of leaving her on her own when she was feeling so unwell, but he had no other choice.

Sensing his reluctance, C.C. attempted to nudge him in the side. "Come on," she insisted. "Just leave me a bin by the bed in case I need to vomit, but otherwise, I'll be fine until you come back."

Not wanting to upset her further, Niles caved in to his wife's desires. He might not have liked it, but she did, and that's what mattered.

"Alright," he said, heaving a sigh. "I'll be back soon."

Niles then kissed C.C.'s forehead, and set the little bin right next to her bed in case she needed to throw up. He gave her one last, loving look and quickly scuttled towards the car, an odd giddiness growing inside him as he covered the distance to the car.

A baby! They could be having a baby!

The thought kept him smiling all the way there, through the store, to making his purchase, and back home again.

Having a little addition to their family...a brother or sister for Amelia...God, she was going to be the best big sister in the world! He could sense it already.

And he'd have another little one to call him "Daddy". One he'd raised from birth, and was biologically his.

That thought didn't stay in his head long. It mattered, but for some reason the idea didn't sit well with him that it was of such great importance. Amelia was his eldest child, his first, no matter who her birth father was. This wasn't going to change how he felt for her at all, because he adored her more than life itself.

He and C.C. could be having more children, and they would have that same love for each and every one that came along in their future.

He was humming a happy tune as he jogged up the steps to the house, and he fumbled with his keys in his haste to open the door.

"Sweetheart, I'm back!" he called out as soon as there was a crack large enough to call through, and he shut the door behind him, leaving his keys on the table and hurrying upstairs to their bedroom with the little box he had bought at the pharmacy.

He found C.C. trying to sit up on the bed as he pushed the door of their room open, and he took that as a good sign. She could at least move a little, so he immediately went to her and carefully slipped an arm around her waist and helped her to the bathroom. After checking that she was okay and after they'd read the instructions, Niles waited outside while his wife took the test.

And after what felt like an eternity (but were mere minutes), the door opened, revealing a smiling (if nauseous) C.C..

"Well?" Niles said, barely being able to hold his excitement. "What is it?!"

The woman's merely kept smiling at him as she put the used pregnancy test in his hand. He wanted to look! Oh God how he wanted to look! But he was too mesmerized by the sight of her smiling face and shining blue eyes to do so.

"Well, Niles..." C.C. began, moving to wrap her arms around his neck. "I hope you like fatherhood, Methuselah, because I'm pregnant!"

And all the daydreaming he'd been doing as he was going around the store looking for the test was suddenly a reality. He could feel his heart bursting with joy, and as his face split into a beaming grin, he pressed his lips to his wife's own in an enthusiastic kiss. He began to laugh as he pulled away, tears starting to leak from the corners of his eyes as he held her in his arms and gently rocked her from side to side, head resting on her shoulder and nuzzling her a little.

It was really true! They were having a baby!

Their family of three was getting another addition, and he couldn't be happier.

He couldn't wait for the moment they told Amelia, either! She was going to be a big sister, she'd be so excited!

"I take it you like the result," C.C. was still smirking somewhere over his shoulder.

"I love it," he replied, tilting his head down to kiss her shoulder. "And I love you."

"I love you too," she chuckled lightly. "But would you mind stopping with the rocking? It's making me a little dizzy."

"Oh, of course not! Sorry, a little overenthusiastic," he immediately ceased, and released her, holding her only by the arms as he gently directed her back to bed. "But now we know what the cause of your mystery illness is, we can do something about it! And the first thing I'm going to recommend is rest. Do you want anything before then? More tea? Something to eat? I know there's a throwing up issue, but we might have something with ginger in the house, I hear that's good for nausea..."

"Niles..."

"And I have to get you some extra blankets! We don't want you catching a cold now."

"Ni-"

"And then, we can call your obstetrician to schedule a visit! The sooner the better! Do you reco-"

"Niles!" C.C. finally yelled, bringing Niles' excited babbling to a halt. "First I need to lie down! Then we can decide on what to do. Okay, Brillo Pad?"

Niles grinned and carefully lifted C.C. in his arms. He knew he was going overboard, but what could he do? He was but a man! A man who had just been told he was going to be a father all over again. And this time, he would be there since the very beginning, supporting his wife through every stage of her pregnancy.

"Of course," he said and pecked her cheek.

In mere minutes C.C. was comfortably snuggled underneath a number of blankets and her back was supported by a small mound of pillows. He knew that being partially upright would help the nausea.

"Alright," Niles said as he perched on the edge of C.C.'s side of the bed. "What should we do now?"

"For starters, we should call our parents and the obstetrician," the blonde said, rubbing her stomach. "We need to tell them and schedule a visit to the ob-gyn. However, I think that we need to wait until I've reached my second trimester to tell Mia she is having a sibling."

Niles couldn't help but join her in rubbing her stomach. She was carrying their baby there... a life that they had created together.

He nodded along, agreeing with what she clearly already had in mind. She had been through all of this before, after all, and knew what had to be done. Listening to her was a good course of action, really.

And of course he knew that she wanted to get through the first few months of her pregnancy without incident before telling Mia the news – if, God forbid, anything were to go wrong, the girl would be devastated. They would all be devastated.

But there was no sense in worrying, as long as they did everything according to some kind of plan, which was where the obstetrician would come in.

He just didn't know if he should call all of their parents first, or if they should schedule the appointment first. It wouldn't take long to just book themselves in for an examination, would it? Then they could get on with the no doubt lengthy conversations with their family members.

They'd all be so excited! They already all adored Mia, so this new grandchild would be loved just the same.

And then, when the first few months were up, they could tell Mia as well! She'd be so happy, knowing that she was going to get a little brother or sister to play with and probably get into all kinds of misadventures with. He could see it already; his children, playing in the garden in the sun, laughter floating in the air, him and C.C. watching them with their arms around each other...he wondered if they would look like their mother, like Mia did, or if they'd look like him.

Only time would tell...

"Niles?"

"Hm?" he blinked, coming out of his reverie as C.C. waved a hand in front of his face.

"You kind of drifted off there for a while, Butler Boy," she grinned. "I know this is exciting, but I would like to know what you think of the plan sometime this century."

"Sorry, love, I was daydreaming," he replied, smiling softly.

"I think I could tell," the blonde retorted, "but we need a plan of action. What do you say if I call the obstetrician whilst you call your parents? I think they'll be delighted to hear the news!"

Well, that sounded like a pretty good idea. She had more experience in this than he had, so letting her deal with the obstetrician was the more natural thing to do. Meanwhile, he could call his parents, who'd been worried sick for C.C. since he'd told them that C.C. was suffering from a mysterious ailment.

In this way he could put their fears to rest, and that would surely be appreciated by his parents.

"Alright," he leaned in and pecked his lips. "You call your doctor and I'll call my parents."

"Wonderful. Could you please give me my cell phone? It's in my bag."

"Sure thing, love," Niles replied as he scrambled for the phone on his nightstand. He then retrieved C.C.'s mobile phone from her bag (which she had left on top of their drawer) and handed it to her.

Whilst C.C. rummaged her bag for her phone, he dialled his parents' number and waited.

"Allô?" came a jovial French voice from the other end.

"Maman!" he couldn't help but cry out in his building joy.

"Niles!" Marie sounded delighted to hear him at the other end. "We were not expecting you to call! Eez everyzhing alright?"

"Everything is just fine, Maman," he began to pace. He supposed he couldn't help his little adrenaline rush, it was just all so overwhelming and he was ready to celebrate. "We, uh...we found out the cause of C.C.'s illness."

"Oh?"

Beneath the intrigue, Niles knew his mother had probably already guessed what was bothering C.C.. She was just leaving it to him to confirm it, both because she could only go by any hunch that she had, large or small, and because it was more polite to do so.

He was grateful that she was giving him that opportunity. He'd shout it from the rooftops if he could.

"C.C. is pregnant, Maman," he found himself beaming so hard his face was aching as the words formed on his lips. "We're going to have a baby."

It wasn't even a second before Marie shouted out in delight, clearly just as elated as her son was. Niles couldn't quite understand what she said at first – he suspected she was calling his father – but soon enough his mother's incomprehensible babbling became slightly more coherent.

"...un bébé! You are having un bébé!" Marie choked out, her voice clearly affected by her overwhelming happiness. "Did you 'ear, mon coeur? We are going to be grandparents again!"

"Another grand-baby?!" Joseph's voice boomed in the background, and Niles could hear him getting closer to the phone. "Congratulations, lad! We couldn't be happier for you both. How is your wife doing?"

Niles glanced at C.C., who was still lying in bed, busy with her own phone call. He couldn't help but notice her softly and lovingly rubbing her stomach – it made him smile, too. She was pregnant! They were having another baby! And this time, he wasn't going to miss anything. He'd be there through thick and thin, no matter what.

He hadn't been there when C.C. had been pregnant with Amelia or when Amelia had been born or during the first years of her life, but that didn't matter – she was his child, and his family came first and foremost. He wasn't planning on losing anything ever again.

"She is alright. The morning sickness has been quite acute, though," he said. "We are scheduling an appointment with the obstetrician."

"Oh, so she eez not far along?" Marie asked.

"Judging by the timing and her symptoms, we think she is in between her first and second month."

"Ah," Marie sounded understanding. "Well, zhis eez certainly somezhing we all 'ave to battle zhrough, when 'aving children. Eet will pass, soon enough. And zhen you can comfortably wait for your new little one!"

Her words made her son grin, "Yes, yes we can. And the doctor will know how best to keep checks on everything, so that C.C. remains comfortable."

"Indeed, mon chéri. Does Amelia know about 'er new sibling yet?"

"No, not yet," Niles replied. "We're going to wait a while before we let her know. We want to..."

He didn't quite know how to put what he wanted to say. It was almost as though he were afraid that anything he accidentally voiced would then actually happen.

Luckily, Marie seemed to understand what he meant.

"I know, chéri, I know. Waiting on zhe birth of a child eez...a time for delicacy, no? You want to be sure everyzhing is alright before letting 'er know."

He could always rely on his mother to know what was going on, that was for sure. Even though she couldn't see him, he nodded.

"Yes, that's...what we were thinking."

"Eet eez only natural, mon chéri," Marie said gently, before the tone of her voice became more cheerful. "When zhe time comes to tell Amelia, she will be so excited!"

Niles' smile widened – he could almost see it! Amelia's delighted smile when she'd been told she was going to have a little brother or sister, her eagerly awaiting for their arrival and asking numerous questions about the baby, Amelia helping to choose the baby's name…

He could already see his children in the future, playing together and having fun. He could see his children taking care of one another and growing up together, learning from each other's mistakes and victories and having each other's back.

It was strange, but right then Niles couldn't help but feel like he was... immortal. No matter what happened to him or C.C., Amelia and her sibling would always have one another – they would never be alone in this world, even when both he and C.C. had passed away, and they'd carry on their memory and their legacy, perpetuating it ad infinitum.

Because, in a sense, when a parent looks at their child, they see a youthful reflection of themselves; a testimony of their passing through this earth and of their legacy. Their child is supposed to run ahead – to reach new heights that their parents hadn't even dreamed of. They eternalise their story and legacy in this new generation, who, in turn, will produce a new generation, and their memory be carried onwards, until the end of time.

Now this task would not only lay upon Amelia's shoulders, but it would be shared by her brother or sister.

Maybe, this selfish and ridiculous idea about our own perpetuity is enticing, and Niles couldn't help but be fascinated by it – fascinated by the notion that his children were and would always be a living testimony of who he was as a person.

He loved his family, and he only wanted them to be happy.

"I bet she will, Maman," he nearly whispered. "And we can't wait until the moment comes!"

"Indeed! Zhis calls for a visit! We must go and see you and C.C.! Maybe we go around zhe time you are supposed to tell Mia about the baby!"

"That would be fantastic, yes," he couldn't help but nod again. "We were thinking of telling her around the start of C.C.'s second trimester."

"When zhe first few months 'ave safely passed, I understand," his mother said. "We will 'ave to schedule a time to come over."

Niles grinned over at C.C., who now seemed to be on the phone to her own parents. She must have finished making the appointment with the obstetrician.

"That sounds perfect, Maman," he replied. "We can all celebrate the news together, then."

He couldn't wait until then. Not only would it mean that they had safely passed the first few months of C.C.'s pregnancy, but it would also mean that they could tell Amelia!

"Zhat sounds like a good idea," his mother chuckled – he'd probably sounded a little excitable, not that anyone could blame him, or that he could even help it. "But I will say goodbye for now, mon chéri. You go be with your wife."

He let out a soft laugh at how insistent Marie sounded, "Alright, Maman, I will."

"Good. And give both C.C. and Amelia our love."

"Yes, Maman. We love you, too," Niles caught C.C.'s eye once more, and she smirked at him. "Goodbye."

"Au revoir, mon chéri."

Upon hanging up the phone, Niles went to sit next to C.C. and listened as she talked with her own parents.

She seemed to be amused by something, and he thought he had an idea of what was amusing her so much. He leaned closer to her and pricked up his ears.

"... you know, you two spend an awful lot of time together for a divorced couple that supposedly hates each other," C.C. said, smiling smugly. "And I've heard that excuse of "needing to discuss business" many times before, Mother."

Niles couldn't help it, he smirked too.

C.C.'s reconciliation with her mother had not only impacted on Amelia and B.B.'s relationship, but it had also affected B.B. and Stewart's. The gelid silence that had once reigned between them had disappeared, and it had been replaced by a rather peculiar form of communication – one that reminded C.C. of herself and Niles.

Her parents lived to bicker with each other, and they were constantly going to each other's house under different pretexts. It was just that B.B.'s "I need to discuss business with your father" reminded her of her _"I am going for some coffee in the kitchen"_ when she worked at the Sheffield mansion.

And C.C. wasn't one to keep her opinions to herself.

"Oh, please, Chastity-Claire, don't start again!"

"Again? Mother, you spent the night at Dad's last week because you claimed it was raining too much!" C.C. cried out.

Niles bit back his own look of complete and utter amusement, keeping it to the smirk he already wore. He himself had wondered, even more so of late, what was really and truly going on between Stewart and B.B.. They would, of course, shoot down anything that their daughter tried to imply, or perhaps even almost explicitly state, about the way they dealt with each other.

It was almost like they...well, it was very like another certain relationship that he knew very well. One might almost say intimately.

C.C. rolled her eyes, "Yes, Mother, I am aware that too much rain makes the roads unsafe, but I highly doubt they were too unsafe to drive a car entirely!"

C.C. knew she'd get her mother to admit it, one of these days. Either that, or she'd get it out of her father. If they were back together, she wanted to hear about it. Not any of the gross details, obviously, she just wanted to know if something she had thought impossible for all her life was actually coming true. Well, as she looked up at her husband, she realised it wouldn't be the first time; she'd thought that him wanting her after everything that had happened would be impossible. And yet here they were, married and expecting their second child.

So she'd very much appreciate it if one of her parents could let her have one more miracle, so that another couple of people in her family could be happy.

But speaking of miracles and happiness, she had a certain piece of news that, although it couldn't be considered a miracle (considering their... healthy intimacy... it was bound to happen) it would surely cause happiness. It was a cause for celebration, and C.C. was sure her parents were going to be delighted with the news!

"Alright! Alright... let's say that I believe you when you say you preferred to wait until the conditions had bettered, but that's not why I am calling," she said, reaching out and grasping at Niles' hand.

"Then why are you calling, dear?" B.B. asked, her voice having a tone that denoted both worry and a certain curiosity.

"Is Daddy there? I would rather that you both hear the news together," C.C. said. Part of her wished the excitement of the moment had two certain people kissing as a consequence.

"Yes he is, darling, but could you go to the crux of the matter? Is everything alright? Do you need help?"

The string of questions fastened in pace and her voice becoming even more high pitched – it did that when she was nervous. Knowing her mother she was creating a dreadful and completely unreal scenario in her head, and it was up to her to put those uncalled fears to rest.

"It's nothing bad, relax," the blonde said soothingly. "Actually they are really good news!"

C.C. exchanged an excited look with Niles, took a deep breath and blurted out the piece of information both of then wanted to shout from the rooftops, if possible.

"I am pregnant!" C.C. exclaimed. "Niles and I are having another baby!"

She almost had to hold the phone away from her ear, her mother's cry of joy was so loud. Her father's almost matched it, too – she could hear him in the back, where B.B. must have held the phone away a little so that he could hear.

"C.C., that's marvellous news!"

Her mother was clearly over the moon, and that made C.C. feel even happier; she knew that this was the kind of happiness that should have been expressed when she had announced to B.B. that she was expecting Amelia, but getting another chance for her mother to be excited right from the start felt so good...now there would be two grandchildren for her parents to adore, and everything was right with the world.

"Isn't it?" C.C. gripped at Niles' hand. "We are thrilled."

She could hear her father in the back, calling out "So are we!", and she couldn't hold in the laugh any longer.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it!" she hoped he could hear her, too. She was almost about to express how she'd hate it if they weren't, but felt like that might lead them into territory they didn't like to talk about. "In fact, we should all get together to celebrate sometime! We haven't told Amelia yet, and we're not planning to until I've reached my second trimester with no trouble, but that wouldn't stop the two of you from coming over?"

"Oh, that's a rather wise idea," B.B. said, almost to herself. Neither of them wanted to even think about a possibility of something going wrong in her pregnancy, but it would be better to be safe than sorry. "Do tell me, have you talked to your obstetrician?"

"Yes, Mother, I have an appointment on this Friday, at 11:00 a.m., so could you please baby sit her that night?" C.C. asked, allowing Niles to snuggle against her side. She could feel his hands travelling to her stomach, and she could only let him.

"Of course we can, Kitten," said Stewart, finally snatching the phone from his ex-wife. "And congratulations to you two!"

"Thanks, Daddy. Now, you are coming over for dinner, right?"

"Of course! Is Amelia going to be with us?" Stewart said. He didn't want to slip in front if Amelia, much less when this was such delicate news!

"She is at the Sheffield mansion! So there is no problem. We'll tell them when I've reached my second month as well," C.C. explained, carefully turning in Niles' embrace so she could face him.

She was liking his impish smile already...

"Ah, excellent. Well, we'll see you both tonight! Congratulations," Stewart made a pause and C.C. could almost see his smirk. "And now go to Niles. You two surely want to celebrate, too."

"God, Dad..." C.C. chuckled, shaking her head despite the fact he was right – Niles was already opening her blouse, and feathering her chest with kisses. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Kitten."

It was a blessing that he'd hung up just in time, because if not he would have heard the yelp she emitted when Niles took her nipple in his mouth.

"Well, I'm liking this private little celebration so far..." she moaned, slipping her fingers through his locks as he continued to suck, and she slid herself downwards a little so that he could take his place more over her, continuing to nip, lick, and suck on both of her nipples, using one hand to fondle, pinch and squeeze whichever one his mouth wasn't currently pleasuring.

But he had to pull away, causing her to whimper, in order to answer her, and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as he looked up, into her eyes.

"Well, I'd be prepared if I were you, my love," he brought his lips to her ear, kissing and nipping at the lobe as he growled. "Because this is only just the beginning..."

And with that, he returned to planting kisses all over her body – every patch of bare skin he could reach. He lined up kisses from her ear down her jaw, up and down her neck, across her collarbone, and all over her chest and stomach.

"I love you so much," C.C. could only groan and pant in appreciation every time his lips caught a sensitive area, or the hand still fondling her breast pinched at her nipple.

He knew her body like a map at his this point, and he was familiar with all the nook and carnies where pleasure lay hidden in play sight. His assault was tender and sweet, but full of raw energy.

Little by little, Item of clothing after item of clothing were discarded, until they were completely exposed to one another. He was comfortably settled in between her legs, and they were engaged in a heated kiss when his hand started making his way downwards.

God... she knew what was coming next! And she couldn't wait.

But before things got (more) heated, she pulled away a little and smiled up at her husband, using her hand to cup his cheek.

"I love you," she said simply, and then willingly gave herself to him.

He just about managed to respond with an "I love you too" before getting lost in a frenzied haste of love.


	22. Chapter 22

**_Chapter 21_**

 _"That we are what?!"_

The exclamation echoed in Dr Smith's smartly decorated office. Dr Smith, C.C.'s obstetrician, had a knack for interior decoration, hence his office having, for example, only nice, warm lighting in the room instead of the coldish incandescence so typical of white lights normally used in hospital – it made his patients more comfortable, he reckoned, and in his line of work he needed his patients to be as relaxed as possible.

But speaking of patients, Smith could barely contain the amusement at the bewilderment so clearly etched across the Brightmore's features. He was used to seeing this type of looks – God know some of them only bode chaos ahead – but seeing it on them was, indeed, somewhat funny. The Brightmores had become his patients – or rather, Mrs Brightmore had become his patient nearly a month and a half ago, and this was their second ultrasound. It was routine, now that Mrs Brightmore had officially reached her second trimester (she was in her fourth month, to be more precise) she came for regular ultrasounds every two weeks plus weekly check-ups.

But back to the matter at hand, Smith was more than amused by the disbelief clearly etched across Mr and Mrs Brightmores faces. He'd long suspected this, but as he hadn't been able to see it clearly in the past ultrasounds he had refrained from telling the couple until he wasn't completely sure.

Well... now he was! And the Brightmores certainly looked like they had a thousand and one questions to ask.

"You heard me," Smith said cheerfully as he moved the transducer over C.C.'s stomach.

"So we are... we really are..."

Not having time to lose, Smith ignored Niles aposiopesis and nodded as he slowly moved the device. "Indeed, Mr and Mrs Brightmore. It seems that you are having twins! A boy and a girl, by the look of things."

Once the shock and bewilderment had died away, Niles and C.C. began to huff out excited laughter, bright grins flashing across both of their faces.

Twins! They were having twins!

Neither could believe it. Their family was increasing by two instead of one! They were going to have two little girls and a little boy!

Amelia would be thrilled. She was getting a little brother and a little sister!

Niles reached down and enveloped his wife in as much of a hug as he could. He was going to be the father to three children, and it was all thanks to the wonderful woman right in front of him!

"Twins!" he cried out. "We're having twins!"

"I know," C.C. had tears of joy in her eyes as she lifted her head towards him to rest her forehead on his. "I love you so much, Niles..."

"I love you too, sweetheart," he replied, pecking her on the lips a few times. "I think it's time to tell Mia! She'll be thrilled to be a big sister!"

"Yes, it is!" C.C. said, looking at the screen in wonderment.

There was a part of her that couldn't actually believe it – she was carrying twins! There were two little babies inside of her. Two lives that her husband had helped create...

She couldn't help thinking about the moment, all those many years ago, when she'd first found out that she was expecting a girl back when she'd been pregnant with Amelia. There had been no one in the room to share the happiness with, for she had still been in Buenos Aires. She hadn't had her husband by her side, even if part of her had craved for him to be there.

But that was not the case anymore.

It was incredible just how many things had changed in her life...

Not only was Niles the father of her eldest child, but they had also co-created two new children. Two new children that they would adore just as much as they adored Amelia.

"We were planning on telling her about the pregnancy anyway," C.C. added as the doctor gently removed the transducer from her stomach (not before taking care to print a copy of the ultrasound, of course).

"We should buy her some ice cream and tell her! It will be a nice celebration," said Niles.

"And you'll be able to do all of that after you've heard my recommendations," Smith piped up and indicated for Niles and C.C. to take a seat at his desk.

Once C.C.'s clothes were back in place and they were comfortably sat down in the plastic chairs in front of the obstetricians desk, Smith grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper from his desk and he cleared his throat as he put pen to paper.

"We've discussed the basics on previous visits, but seeing as you are having twins instead of one baby, I need to change your pre-natal vitamins," he began. "Among other things, you need to know that you'll feel more tired than if you were carrying just one child, and I need you to know that twins rarely make it to term. They are usually smaller babies, and are usually born a few weeks earlier."

A few weeks earlier...well, that didn't matter so much to Niles – he'd just make sure that C.C. kept to the doctor's recommendations. He'd done the same thing for Fran when she was carrying the twins, so he had at least had that experience behind him.

Their babies would be there before they knew it! He couldn't wait already.

The doctor held out the piece of paper, and C.C. accepted it.

"You'll need to get plenty of rest, and make sure that you come in for regularly scheduled appointments," he told her. "But I'm sure you'll be sure to do that. The twins are healthy and, of course, we all want them to stay that way. And you're to start this prescription as soon as possible, so if you just take it to the pharmacy on your way home, they should have what you need."

"Thank you, Doctor," C.C. grinned, her hand dropping to and her smile focused on her stomach.

"You have no idea how happy this is making us," Niles wrapped an arm around C.C..

Smith could only smile in reply, "Well, I never like to assume that I know for sure. I can only imagine how thrilled each and every couple I see must be. But I must still offer my congratulations on the wonderful news!"

Niles and C.C. thanked him and shook the doctor's hand before finally leaving back for their car, anxious to go home and tell Amelia the news. Marie and Joseph were looking after Amelia – they'd arrive only a few days ago, and they were planning on staying for three months and return once the babies were born.

It would save them having to make an international phone call, and for Niles it was certainly nice to have his parents near.

They made two stops before the mansion – the pharmacy, and Amelia's favourite ice cream parlour. Their little girl adored the vanilla ice cream they prepared there, so the two parents made sure to buy some for her.

They barely spoke during the trip back home. They were too excited to do anything else but think about what Amelia's reaction would be. They knew their girl was going to be an awesome big sister, but she had no clue about the pregnancy!

"Ready?" Niles asked as he pulled up the driveway and turned off the engine.

C.C. looked at him and smiled – actually it was more like she beamed. "Totally. Come on," the blonde reached out for his hand and squeezed it, "let's tell them all!"

With a matching smile, Niles quickly jumped out of the car and edged round it so he could open the door for his wife. She'd soon need help to move around, but he liked helping her even if she didn't need it.

They could hear Amelia's exited little voice. She was surely telling something to her grandparents, and judging by the heavenly smell inside the house they were probably baking something in the kitchen.

"... Mia bring me zhe oven mitten," Marie said and Amelia quickly complied. "We need to 'ave zhis ready for when your parents come back!"

"Where did they go, Mémère?" Mia asked.

"To zhe doctor."

The elder woman pulled open the oven door, and Mia stood back while her grandmother grabbed the baking tray inside, and brought the cake they had been preparing to the front. It looked light, and spongy – it was perfect for decorating!

They'd been making frosting while the cake had been in the oven, and the little girl couldn't wait to make it look pretty for her Mommy and Daddy. She didn't know why they had gone to the doctor exactly, but she knew it had to do with her Mommy being sick a lot recently.

She hoped her Mommy was feeling better now, and that she'd like the cake. All she wanted was for her family to be happy – all of them together, and they could enjoy the rest of the day having fun.

And she knew that it was all about to start with the opening of the front door, and her mother's voice calling out to them.

"Hello, hello!"

Mia exchanged a smile with her grandmother, who gestured with her head for the girl to go and see her parents.

"Go on," she urged, keeping her voice low. "Zhis needs to cool before we can decorate! Distract zhem, and we can surprise zhem!"

"Okay!" Amelia said before cheerfully skipping off to the entryway, where her parents awaited.

As soon as she laid eyes on them, she noticed they had brought ice cream with them, and her smile only grew. Her Mommy was in a good mood! She was surely feeling better!

"Mommy, Daddy!" Amelia said, jumping into Niles' arms and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Mémère and I have a surprise for you!"

"What a coincidence!" C.C. exclaimed, leaning in to give Amelia a kiss on the cheek. "We have a surprise for you too!"

"Really?!" Amelia nearly squealed, excitement seeping through her tone and shining in her eyes. "What is it?!"

"Go look for Mémère and Grandpa so we can show them the surprise too!" Niles said, dropping a kiss on the top of

Mia's head before putting her down on the floor. "Come on, go!"

Niles didn't really need to urge her – the girl was so excited she practically dashed to the kitchen and dragged her grandparents into the living room, all while excitedly babbling about all the surprised that were going on in the house.

Once they had all sat down – Mia comfortably snuggled in between her parents – Niles and C.C. exchanged a look and nodded.

"Mia, do you know why we went to the doctor today?" Niles asked, looking down at his little girl and stroking her hair.

"Nope," she said. "Is it because Mommy hasn't been feeling so well lately?"

"Yes, it has to do with that!" C.C. piped up. "Do you know why I've been feeling bad?"

The girl shook her head.

"Well... this is why!" Niles said as he retrieved a little picture from his pocket and handed it to Amelia.

The child frowned. She had never seen such a weird picture before! What could it be?

"What is this, Daddy?"

"That... is a picture. A picture of your brother and sister!" C.C. looked between her in laws and eldest child. "They are in my tummy."

"Exactly," Niles said. "Amelia, Mommy is pregnant. In a few months, you are going to have a little brother and a little sister!"

An enormous cry went up from the two oldest people in the room as Marie and Joseph immediately started to celebrate the news. She covered her mouth to stifle the cries of joy, and he started to laugh happily, before they both rose to their feet to go and hug the couple.

"Congratulations, the pair of you!" Joseph slapped his son heartily on the back. "This is the best news you could have given us!"

"It's the best news for us, too," C.C. agreed, releasing Marie from her hug and turning back to Amelia. "What do you think, Mia? Isn't it the best news?"

And suddenly, Amelia felt very small, surrounded by all the beaming adults and not feeling as happy as they apparently were. Her Mommy and Daddy were having more babies, and she had no idea what to think…

She smiled shakily, not knowing what to feel about her parents suddenly introducing more children into the picture, but absolutely certain that whatever she was feeling, it didn't involve smiling.

"It is great news, Mommy!" she replied, quickly hugging both of her parents before leaping to her feet. "But now I have homework; I'll be in my room!"

She immediately started to dash off, but Marie lay a hand on her arm.

"Wait, chérie! What about our surprise for your parents, hm?"

C.C. looked towards her mother-in-law, and then back at her daughter, "Yeah, and what about your ice cream? It's your favourite; the homework can wait for a little while, can't it?"

Mia shook her head quickly, feeling an urgent need to be alone, "I'd rather do it now!"

She then ran out and up the stairs without another word.

There was a strange, burning feeling in her chest – a feeling she had never experienced before. It was uncomfortable, and it made her want to cry and scream in equal measure. What was she feeling? Was it sadness? Was it anger? Was it happiness? Was it... _jealousy_?

Maybe it was all of those emotions at once...

Amelia simply didn't know.

What she knew, however, was that it scared her. Yes... it was scaring the living daylights out of her! It hadn't been that long since her Daddy had become her Daddy... so why did he need new babies? He had her, didn't he?

 _Unless..._

No.

No it couldn't be that!

 _Or could it?_

Could her Daddy want new babies because... because she was not... not good enough? Because, unlike her, these babies would be his from birth.

The mere thought of this felt like a slap in the face – hard and sure. But it was more than just a dull ache, though... it was almost as if something inside her had broken. It was almost as if all the heat in the room and all the happiness in her heart had been taken away, and she had no idea what to do.

Well... she had no idea what to do except go and lie down on her bean bag chair. Her backpack was right next to it, so she simply grabbed her books and began perusing them. It didn't take long for her to hear a knock on the door – Mia knew it was her parents. She didn't want to talk about this, so she snuggled in her seat and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

She hoped it would be enough!

"Mia?" Nile said as he opened the door.

Mia lay perfectly still. She didn't want to talk about this. She didn't want to talk about running out of the room. She didn't want to talk about the new little brother and sister the rest of her family were so excited about. She didn't even want the cake that she and her grandmother had taken all afternoon to make, or the ice cream her parents had brought home.

She didn't want anything. She'd wait until her parents had gone away, and then probably go to bed. She wasn't sure she could be bothered to do the homework she'd excused herself to go and do.

Nothing was interesting right then, and nothing was important.

Niles approached his daughter gingerly, creeping in slowly. From a distance, she certainly looked asleep, but as he got closer certain things gave it away that she was still awake and perfectly listening.

C.C. had stayed downstairs with his parents while he went to talk to her, but he wished it could have been the both of them. He felt he might need her mother's backup in this. But they had guests to entertain, and to make sure they didn't worry for their granddaughter. He just needed to find out as quickly as possible why she was so upset. He didn't like seeing her clearly agitated by...well, anything! She was his little girl, and he wanted her to be happy.

Especially on a day like today. They all had every reason in the world to be happy. There was ice cream waiting for them, and a cake that his mother just couldn't help but tell them about when Mia had run upstairs.

Didn't she want to be downstairs, with her family, enjoying the afternoon?

He knelt in front of her, knowing she was making an extra effort to keep silent and still.

"Mia, I know you're awake."

The girl weighed her options – she could either remain still while pretending she was asleep until her father had given up on trying to "wake her up" or she could open her eyes and face him. She'd have to do the second one it eventually, so maybe there was no point in delaying what was already inevitable.

"Mia, talk to me," Niles said softly, carefully gathering his child in his arms and resting against Mia's bean bag. She still had her eyes closed, but it didn't take long for her to open them. However, Niles quickly noticed she avoided looking at him in the eye...

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Niles asked.

Amelia remained silent. She didn't want to tell him what was wrong – probably because she was afraid of the answer she'd get from him. What if it was true? What if he really didn't love her as much as he loved her brother and sister?

She wouldn't be able to bear hearing him say that...

No. She needed a lie. A convincing lie that she could easily get away with. She had never lied to her parents before, but for some reason it now seemed like the best course of action.

And as a matter of fact, a very convenient idea had just popped inside her mind.

"It's nothing..." she grumbled.

"That's not true," Niles said gently. "If there was nothing wrong you wouldn't have ran away and pretended to be asleep!"

Well... here went nothing.

Mia affected a grimace and she hid her face in the crook of Niles' neck. "It's just... your surprise is better than mine and I really wanted to surprise you with the cake!"

There. Her every word had been a complete and utter lie, but it would save her from having to discuss the unpleasant and confusing feeling caused by her Mommy's pregnancy.

Niles didn't quite know what to do or say about that. He was only half-convinced it was the truth in the first place, because it seemed like a massive overreaction for such a trivial reason. But she was young, and she had probably been working hard on the cake with her grandmother. What if she had simply been expecting them to be completely surprised by the cake? They would have dismissed her hard work by blowing it out of the metaphorical water with their own news!

She might just need a little validation. He had to give her the benefit of the doubt in that regard. Even if something in him said it went far further than that, he had to try the simplest solution first.

So he hugged her close, and kissed her hair, stroking it, "You did surprise us with the cake, Little One! It looks delicious, and your Mommy and I are looking forward to eating it very much!"

He squeezed her tighter briefly, and angled his head more so he could say his next words directly into her ear.

"But we're not enjoying it until our girl comes downstairs to eat it with us," he said. "We want to celebrate as a family, and how can we do that when someone so special and important is upstairs, missing out on all the fun and all the ice cream that her parents bought her, hm?"

"Okay," Mia replied, trying not to sound as disappointed as she really felt. She didn't want to go back downstairs, but if she wanted her Daddy to believe her lie she'd have to do it anyway.

"That's what I wanted to hear," Niles said, kissing her hair again and getting to his feet. "Now come on, they are waiting for us!"

Amelia nestled her head in the crook of his neck. She'd have to be careful not to let her real feelings show for the rest of the afternoon, and go back to her bedroom as soon as possible. Actually, that was what she'd start doing from then onwards – she would bottle everything up. She wasn't going to let her parents see that there was something wrong.

Hopefully, it would go away with time, and everything would go back to normal.

But deep inside her, Amelia knew that nothing could ever go back to the way it had once been.

* * *

 _"No."_

That's what she had said. And yet here she was...

Amelia frowned when this thought crossed her mind and observed her father helping her mother out of the car. She hadn't wanted to come to this stupid ultrasound, but both her parents and grandparents had insisted.

It had been a month and a half since she'd been told her Mommy was pregnant, but time had done nothing to quell her anger nor it had healed the feelings of inadequacy that had taken root in her heart. And although she had contained the extent of her rage so that the change in her behaviour wouldn't be noticeable, she sensed that her Mommy and her Daddy already knew (or, at least, suspected) there was something wrong with her.

It's just so horrible! Pretending to be happy about all of this when she was not…

And to think she'd been happily colouring a drawing with her Grandpa Stewart when her Mommy and Daddy had told her that they were leaving for the doctor! They had then asked if she wanted to comethis time. In all honesty, Amelia would have preferred to do homework all afternoon instead of seeing her new siblings, but after some relentless insistence from her family, she'd had no other choice but to go.

She'd tried not to show her bad mood, though. It would only arise doubts, and God knows her father was suspicious enough as it was...

She was withdrawing from them – becoming distant – and although neither of them had said it aloud, Amelia knew that they knew there was something going on. She only hoped they didn't know what it was.

"... God, I can't believe you are reaching your fifth month already!" Amelia overheard her dad speaking to her mother and her frown only deepened.

She hated just how _excited_ he sounded.

That's why she didn't wait for her Daddy to open the door for her. Instead, she simply climbed down the car herself and took off for the hospital's door, not even waiting for her now concerned parents.

"Mia?" Niles called out and the girl reluctantly came to a halt.

"Yes?"

"Could you please wait for Mommy? She can't walk as fast! You can grab my hand if you want to, and we'll help her together," said Niles, trying to shake the unpleasant feeling that there was something wrong with Amelia from his mind.

The girl came back to them, but she avoided taking his hand. Instead, she (begrudgingly) took C.C.'s.

Niles and C.C. looked at each other, only momentarily letting the worried frown cross their faces. But it was enough – they knew each other well enough to know what they were thinking. Something was definitely up with their daughter, but they didn't know what it could be!

She just seemed so quiet recently. So distant, like she didn't want to spend time with them anymore. But they couldn't understand why – she wasn't in trouble, and nothing had happened at school. And her behaviour, whilst cold, hadn't really changed much in any other way.

They'd resolved to keep an eye on her, and see what happened. They hoped seeing her little brother and sister for the first time properly might cheer her up – she could take a look at them on the screen for once, not just have a still photograph, so she could see them move and they could ask her about what she thought they should call the twins, and they could all go home laughing and joking like a regular family waiting for the day it was going to get larger...it could all be perfect.

If Mia didn't look so upset as they went into the hospital. She wouldn't even look at her father, keeping her (limited) attention directed towards her mother.

Dr Smith greeted them shortly after they checked in, and the three were redirected to his office, where the examination table was waiting for C.C..

"Mrs Brightmore, I believe you know what to do?" Smith asked brightly, gesturing towards it.

C.C. nodded, smiling a little, "That I do, Doctor..."

C.C. then turned to Niles, who began helping C.C. with her coat. Amelia watched in silence, dread seeping into her very soul. Her father hadn't done that when her Mommy had been pregnant with her...

How could she ever compare to her brother and sister? Her father had been there since the beginning...

The twins were his since the beginning...

She had to look away when Niles rubbed C.C.'s belly affectionately – it made her feel... _out of place_. Like she didn't belong in the room with them. All she knew was that she wanted to be with her Mommy, and only her Mommy. She loved her Daddy... but did he love her as much as she loved him? Now part of her didn't really know…

"Alright, now I'll need your help here," said C.C., and Niles quickly went to help his wife get on the examination table.

But as she watched this, Amelia felt an urgent need to be there, with her Mommy. Almost as if holding her would delay the ultrasound or mitigate the pain caused by her siblings. Also, usually when she needed to get on places that were too high, his Daddy or Mommy would always helped her get to them, but now her Mommy couldn't do it because of the twins, while her Daddy preferred to attend to the twins first…

She would always come second – she would always be less than them…

Mia frowned. Well, she'd do it alone then! If he didn't care, then she wasn't waiting for him, either. So, she went to the tall examination bed and tried clambering onto it. But it happened in an instant – as she was trying to climb onto the bed with her Mommy, she gave one false step and she unceremoniously fell down with her back to the floor.

To be honest it did hurt, but nothing ached more than Amelia's wounded pride.

Niles noticed the fall immediately, but he had to finish helping C.C. onto the table before he could do anything about it.

"Mia!" he cried out, making sure his wife was on the table and ready for the doctor to begin the examination before turning to their daughter.

He found her there, on the floor, looking miserable. She had slumped with her back against the wall, and was staring angrily at the ground.

"Are you hurt, Little One?" he crouched down by her, trying to check if she'd bumped her head or hurt her back in the fall. It was lucky they were in a hospital, if something was wrong, they could get a doctor to look her over.

He didn't want his little girl to be hurt. Not on yet another day when they should all be happy. He wanted her to see her siblings on the screen, and to be delighted by them moving inside their mother. He wanted her to feel like part of a big family – the eldest of the Brightmore children, and excited for it.

He was going to pick her up and hold her so she could see everything properly.

But Mia flinched away from him when he tried to reach out and touch her.

"I'm fine, Daddy," she muttered, sounding far from it. Her words were very nearly spat.

She wasn't fine, and they both knew it. But Amelia was hoping that he might take her at her word, like he'd done the last time. She didn't want his help. She wanted to sit next to her Mommy, and she was going to do it by herself!

If he had the twins, then he probably didn't need her, no matter what she said or wanted to be true. So she would learn to do without him, too.

"Are you sure?" Niles asked, trying to get near her again. Once again, the girl flinched away from him. He tried not to let her see just how much her not-so-subtle rejection had hurt him. "Let me see if-"

"I wanna go with Mommy," the girl cut across him and rendered Niles speechless.

He almost felt like the little girl that looked and sounded so much like his child, was a stranger. A remarkably similar stranger at that, but a stranger nonetheless. He observed in stunned silence how she quickly got to her feet, dusted herself off and walked back to the examination table.

She tried to climb on her own again, and that made Niles react.

"Do you want some help?" he said.

"No," the child replied, leaving Niles even more at loss than before.

A feeling of dread and hopelessness began to grow in Niles' heart. Why was she acting this way? Why did he feel like she was mad at him? A daughter that he adored with all his heart...

After some futile attempts at getting onto the table by herself, Amelia had to finally accept his help, but he could feel her desire to get away from him as soon as he held her in his arms. She practically jumped out of them and snuggled next to C.C., not even glancing at him while the doctor spread the gel all over C.C.'s belly.

The parents couldn't help the exchange of a worried look – something was clearly wrong with Amelia, and it was starting to become alarming.

"Alright," Dr Smith spoke up, briefly bringing the two parents' attention to him. "Let's see how everything's in there..."

Moments later, the machine was on and two shapes appeared on screen.

As much as she tried to do so, Amelia couldn't help the tears.

Right there on the screen was the reason she was losing her Daddy. Those two little shapes, as soon as they were out of her Mommy, would take all his time and attention. He'd spend all his time with them, and she'd be pushed out...

And the way he and her Mommy were looking at the screen – delightedly, like they were looking at the best things in the world – only made it hurt all the more. He'd never been around to look at her like that, to hold her Mommy's hand and tell her how beautiful it all was. He'd come along later, and now he was going to have all the time in the world to play with and look after and watch the twins grow up.

 _His_ twins. _His_ like _she_ wasn't.

How could he possibly see her the same way, after looking at them? She wasn't the same. They were _better_ , because they could call him Daddy right from the start and they'd have every right.

C.C. was the first to notice her daughter's state of distress, and she tore her eyes away from the screen to look at Amelia.

"Mia, sweetie, what's the matter?" she cupped her little girl's cheek and wiped away a few tears with her thumb. "You're crying..."

The little commotion caught Niles' attention, too, and the look on his little girl's face made him hurt all over again.

"Sweetheart! Whatever is the matter?" he asked, crouching a little to look her in the face. "First not waiting for us when we parked the car, then not wanting my help after you fell, and now this...have we done something wrong, Mia?"

It was the only possible solution. Not that he could bear it if it was the correct one. He only wanted her to be happy, and it would tear at him deeper than anything if he had been the cause of her unhappiness.

But even if she'd wanted to reply, Amelia couldn't speak. Her crying was making it almost impossible...

She just wanted to disappear – to go somewhere where she could be alone and where she didn't have to deal with her parents or her brother and sister. She felt angry, sad, but most of all, she felt guilty.

It was that overbearing type of guilt – one that made her feel like there was a hollowness in her chest where her heart was supposed to be. Part of Amelia knew she should feel happy; they were her brother and sister, after all, so how could she not love them? But another part of her, couldn't help but hate them. Hate the two people who had stolen her Daddy from her.

She wasn't planning on telling them any of this, of course. She had to be strong and bottle everything up...

She had to keep it all in. She had to be strong.

Amelia wiped away her tears with her sleeve and shook her head, almost as if saying "it doesn't matter". But it did matter – at least it mattered to her parents.

"Mia, please..." Niles said softly. It was obvious that there was something wrong, no matter just how much she wanted to hide it.

But the girl remained silent. The only change was that she turned to her mother and buried her face in the crook of her neck. The older woman couldn't do anything else but hold her close, all while dropping kisses on the top of her head.

"Mia..." Niles insisted.

Nothing.

"Please, Mi-"

"Mr and Mrs Brightmore," Smith interrupted with a delicacy acquired from his many years of experience – this wasn't the first time he saw something like this. "I think Miss Brightmore is a little overwhelmed right now. So, if she wants, she can stay here or a nurse can take her to the play area while we carry out the procedure."

"I want to go," Amelia nearly pleaded. "I want to go now!"

Niles looked back and forth between the doctor, his wife, and his daughter. He wasn't exactly sure of what to say – he didn't like the thought of handing Mia off to strangers, especially while she was still so upset.

But she didn't want to be there anymore. That much was certain, and it might only make her feel worse if she was forced to stay. And C.C. seemed to have made up her mind already anyway. She was nodding, and stroking her daughter's hair and face.

"Alright, sweetie, alright," she was trying to keep her voice level, even though seeing Mia cry was clearly making her want to cry, too. "You don't have to stay any more if you don't want to..."

"I don't want to," Mia whimpered in return. "I don't want to...!"

"Okay, sweetie," Niles reached out to pat her back, and felt a sharp pain in his heart when she yet again flinched away. "We can get the nurse in here, and you can go play until Mommy and Daddy are ready..."

Within moments, Dr Smith had pressed a call button for a nurse, who had come in order to take Amelia to the play area. But not before she had given her mother one last hug, and then hugged her father more reluctantly.

Niles could feel that reluctance, too. It was like she didn't want...him anymore. Had she perhaps decided that she didn't want him to be her Daddy anymore, and was upset because there was no way to go back to being just her and C.C.? The thought was horrid, and it only served to worsen his apprehension – so much so that he wasn't able to truly and really enjoy the rest of the ultrasound. How could he, honestly...? His child was clearly upset, especially with him it seemed, and he had no clue what to do to make it better.

And if the problem was that she didn't want him anymore, he'd truly and really be devastated.

Smith seemed to pick up on the Brightmores' distress, so he resolved to bring the ultrasound to an early end – he had already checked for everything he needed – and then cleaned the gel from his patient's stomach.

He knew how hard it was for parents to deal with these situations. To him it was obvious that their eldest child was jealous and upset due to her mother's pregnancy, but the couple in front of him didn't seem to understand this. And it was especially bad in cases where the child had been adopted by one or both parents.

He knew that Amelia wasn't Mr Brightmore's biological daughter, so maybe he could help them out here.

"Well, everything inside you is completely fine, Mrs Brightmore," Smith spoke, peeling off his gloves. "Outside you, however, not so much."

Before the couple had time to reply, Smith took a deep breath and continued.

"Do tell me, Mr and Mrs Brightmore, Miss Brightmore was adopted by Mr Brightmore, correct?"

Both C.C. and Niles frowned. What was this man getting at?

"Yes, why?" asked C.C..

Smith nodded, taking a thoughtful countenance. "I see... well, you see, I think I might know why your child had an emotional outburst. I think she is jealous, especially when it comes to her father. Probably, she feels like she is being replaced, especially since these babies are biologically yours, Mr Brightmore."

Oh...neither Niles nor C.C. had really considered that! The dawning realisation that that was the only thing they hadn't considered grew in their minds and was obvious on their faces as they turned to look at each other. Could Mia really believe that she was being replaced? That they would do such a thing? She was their little girl, that wasn't going to change!

"But she isn't being replaced," C.C. turned back to Smith. "We're her parents, we love her – nothing has changed!"

"I'm not sure that Miss Brightmore feels the same way," the doctor replied with a slight frown. "Children often grow to think that if a new baby arrives, their parents will no longer have time for them, and that fear often becomes overwhelming. They grow to believe that their parents don't love them, or even want them, anymore. And I suspect that in your case, Mr Brightmore, this might be mostly directed at you, because she has reason to believe that you might choose to spend all effort on your biological children now, and leave her, essentially, fatherless again."

The very thought broke both parents' hearts. Mia thought Niles didn't want her...? That couldn't be further from the truth!

"That's not going to happen," he replied firmly to the doctor. "I am her father and I love her, no matter what!"

"She might need a little reassurance of that, Mr Brightmore," Smith said. "Some validation that you are still her father and have enough love for all your children could go a long way to restoring her confidence."

Niles turned back to C.C., who seemed keen in what the doctor had to say. He knew that his wife would be just as interested as him in learning what they could do – she, more than anyone, would hate seeing Mia so upset.

"We should do something right away," she said. "We have to talk to her about this!"

It was true, they couldn't leave this to fester any more in their little girl's consciousness than it already had. They had to make her see that nothing was going to change; she was their daughter and they both adored her, and having two new children wasn't going to change that.

Perhaps they should spend some more time with her, to make her realise that she wasn't being left out – would never be left out!

But maybe they shouldn't be so straightforward. Amelia was (not surprisingly) an extremely proud and reserved person, and she had a tendency to keep certain things to herself, especially if expressing said those things could be perceived as a weakness by her. Niles knew it was unlikely that Amelia admitted that she was afraid of losing him, and pressuring her to do so might not the best of ideas.

What they could do, however, was make her feel validated. And that started, in his opinion, with a father-daughter night out. It was one of their favourite activities – he'd take her to her favourite restaurant, they'd have ice cream and then go to the movie theatre.

It was perfect to show her just how important and loved she was.

"I... I don't think we should," Niles spoke, reaching out for C.C.'s hand. He quickly continued, noticing his wife's puzzled countenance. "Mia is like you in that aspect – she doesn't like to open up about certain feelings. I feel that trying to force her to do so now will be counterproductive, and instead I think we could show her just how much we love her and that nothing has changed!"

C.C. tilted her head, almost as if considering her husband's suggestion. He had a point, she had to admit – Amelia was a rather reserved person, and (just like her) she intensely disliked sharing her negative feelings. Maybe the answer was showing her the love that they had for her, and if that didn't work, then they could try and talk to her.

"Hm... what do you have in mind?" she asked.

"A father-daughter night out!" Niles said, smiling. "She loves them and it's been a while since we had one. Seeing as she is angry at me, it might help."

C.C. bit the inside of her lip, considering.

"Hm...you sure she won't refuse?"

Niles hadn't really stopped to consider that possible scenario. Mia had never said no to going out, just the two of them, before. The thought of her doing so now hurt him deeply, even if he knew she was only doing it because she was afraid.

He had to give it a try. He had to save her from her fear somehow, and maybe this was the way.

"I have to ask anyway," he eventually said. "I can't let her go on thinking that..."

He sighed. Even trying to say it out loud pained him.

C.C. reached out, and clasped his hand, "We both know it's not true. We know you love her. But if it doesn't work and she says no then we will have to talk to her. She has to understand that nothing has changed, and being honest might work, and help her see that."

Niles nodded gently, "I know, I know. But if I can get things back to normal without making anyone feel uncomfortable in what they're revealing, then I will."

"Alright," C.C. secretly hoped he knew what he was doing, and that it would all work out according to his plan. "When will this plan of yours go into action?"

"Not today," Niles said – he'd love to go out, but he knew Mia too well to know that she wasn't going to enjoy herself if they did so. "But it will be soon. I could prepare her favourite meal today, and stay with her for some extra minutes after I've tucked her in."

"Sounds okay to me..." C.C. sighed, barely able to tolerate the ache of their daughter feeling unloved. She then looked up at Smith and tried to muster a smile. "Can we go now, doctor?"

"Of course. I'll see you again in two weeks then."

The three adults got to their feet and after farewells were exchanged, Niles and C.C. left the room towards the nearby playroom. It was a five minute walk, at most, but for both parents it felt eternal. There was a heaviness in their chest, and all they wanted was to be near their girl.

They spotted her in the art section, colouring a picture. She looked focused in what she was doing, but Niles could still see the trace of tears on her cheeks. It was painful to see how she'd forced herself to be calmed and composed…

"Mia, sweetheart," he said as he went to her. "It's time to go home. Do you want me to carry you? Because you know that I love to carry you almost as much as I love you!"

She glanced up at him momentarily, something like a grimace, or even a look of rage, momentarily crossing her features. And inside, she still felt like she was burning up. Why would he want to carry her, when he'd be carrying the twins instead, soon enough?

She might as well get used to walking.

She put down the crayon, stood up from her seat, and simply replied, "I'll walk."

And walk she did, right towards her mother. She just about greeted C.C., and took her hand, but refused to look at either of them.

She didn't know what her actions were doing to either of her parents – those simple yet angry gestures were enough to make Niles want to burst into tears. How he hated seeing her so unhappy! And it was, in some kind of sense, his fault.

That was why he had to try so hard to make it known how much she was loved. But it was obviously too early for anything big. Mia would either get suspicious and think something was wrong, or it just wouldn't work because she was still to upset to allow anything to go right.

It would go around in a circle, and it was agonising.

He shared a frown with C.C. as they made their way out to the car, and thought about all the little gestures he could make when they got home to start helping Amelia feel happier.

That was all he wanted: for his little girl to be happy.

* * *

 **AN: Hello! Sorry for the long time between the updates. We hope you liked the three chapters we posted and we'd love to hear your opinion!**

 **HL**


	23. Chapter 23

**_Chapter 22_**

 ** _SLAM_**

The noise echoed inside the mansion, bringing Niles out of his troubled thoughts. His ears perked up upon hearing the sound – that could either be his wife or his child. Judging by the time, he'd make a safe bet on that being Amelia; Fran had offered to drive her home from school that afternoon.

He pushed back his chair, ready to go and greet his little girl...

His little girl, who continued to withdraw from them with every day that went past.

The following month after the ultrasound, he and C.C. had done as they'd agreed – they'd been subtle, given Amelia more attention and had tried to make her understand just how much they loved her, but nothing seemed to work. This time it was as though she was the one who wanted to get away from them (and by them Niles meant him). If anything, her sadness had quickly morphed into a strange kind of silent anger.

It was a cold type of anger – a more passive type of anger, but what it lacked in aggressiveness, it had in indifference. But, to be fair, Amelia´s anger had multiple sides, like a monster with numerous heads. Sometimes it would be manifested in her refusing his offers to read her a story before going to bed (like he'd done since he'd moved in with them) or her choosing to spend her weekends away at her grandparents' house instead of at home with them.

It frustrated him; it frustrated him to no end because he didn't know how to help her. C.C. still wanted to give her some time to calm down – " _she is just like me_ ", she'd said, " _she needs some time to process everything_ " – but he wasn't sure that this was the right way to go about this. Granted, Amelia hadn't had another outburst since the ultrasound (which, Niles suspected, had lulled C.C. into a naïve sense of security) but he suspected that the girl was not getting better, but rather bottling up what she really felt.

And the house… the house was, in his opinion, the most compelling evidence that something was not alright with Amelia – the silence, previously foreign, had become a constant companion. There was no music coming from Amelia´s room, no laughter, no nothing…

Come to think of it, one of the first things to go had been the sound of Amelia´s voice. She´d become awfully quiet… almost as if she had willingly cloistered inside herself. More often than not, their girl spent her time in her room or in her little terrace if the weather was nice. She only interacted with them when necessity called for it.

Neither he nor C.C. could really understand what was happening with Amelia. She'd seemed to develop a completely new personality! She'd never been disrespectful towards them or had actually showed she was upset – as he'd said before, it was a matter of her developing a completely new personality and way of interacting with them.

But even if the evidence was pointing in that direction, Niles still refused to believe Amelia thought that they didn't love her… it couldn't be that! He wouldn't be able to bear it. So he'd devoted his time to trying to make Amelia happy, but clearly his efforts weren't enough.

He wasn't planning on giving up, though – every day was a new opportunity to let his child know just how much he loved her.

"Hey sweetie!" Niles said, spotting Amelia crossing the door. "How was school?"

Amelia threw her coat over a hook on the wall, slung her bag back over her shoulder, and dashed upstairs, "Fine. I have homework."

Niles and Fran could only stare, watching her bounding up to her room like no force on Earth could make her stay downstairs for a single second longer.

Niles flinched when he heard her bedroom door slam (as usual), and then he sighed.

Fran put her hands on her hips, appearing more than a little surprised, "Well! This is certainly new behaviour!"

"You're telling me," Niles turned, and the pair began to make their way into the kitchen. Both could already tell that some kind of talk was on the way, so coffee and a selection of baked goods was in order.

She slipped into a chair as he began to make the drinks, but saved her questions until he'd sat and they could both talk comfortably.

"How long has she been like this?" Fran took a bite out of one of the pastries Niles had brought back to the table with him, settled in for a long explanation.

Niles gulped his drink in return. If it was a long explanation Fran wanted, that's what she was going to get.

"Well...it started about the time we told her about the pregnancy," he began. "I don't know what changed, though. She just...suddenly seemed angrier. She's also been refusing to be read a story, and barely accepting being tucked in before bed. She's spent more weekends at Stewart's or B.B.'s than she has here since then, too. And...I don't know, something in its entirety just feels off...! The doctor suggested she is jealous of the twins, but I am not sure, and she denied it before…"

He rested his head in his hand, fingers covering his face. But between them, he could see Fran looking at him worriedly.

"Hm… perhaps it's just a phase?" she suggested, the tone in her voice sounding like she was hoping to cheer him up. "Ya know how kids are – they get told at school by their friends that hanging around with their parents and being tucked in and read stories and stuff is for little kids, and for babies. Maybe she's just tryin' to assert a little bit of independence, to prove that she's grown up?"

"In third grade?" Niles replied, his tone hinting just how unlikely that suggestion was. Of course it would be easier to think this was just a phase that was a result of trying to be accepted by her peers, but he knew Amelia... and that wasn't the case.

There was something else. Something deeper. Something that he feared was hurting her. He wanted nothing else than to make the pain go away, but Amelia had chosen to shut herself away, and his attempts at reaching her had been fruitless so far. What's more – every time he'd tried to get closer to her, she'd seemed to take yet another step away from him.

He wasn't used to this... he wasn't used to not knowing what to do. He wasn't used to feeling useless... especially when it came to his daughter's wellbeing.

"I don't know, Scarecrow," Fran shrugged. "Have ya talked ta her about it?"

Niles shook his head no as he stirred his tea. "Not really. She is like C.C. in that regard – she dislikes talking about her feelings, so we've tried to give her extra attention but we haven´t really talked about this.

"Well... then ya need ta talk to her! Even if it makes her uncomfortable!" Fran exclaimed, getting to her feet. She wandered towards the fridge and took out the milk before retrieving a cup from one of the kitchen cupboards. "Ya need ta go ta her! Grab some cookies and I'll warm up a cup milk."

"But wh-"

"Just do it!" Fran said, pouring the milk into the cup. "Make her feel comfortable, and then, when C.C. comes back have a talk with her!"

Niles pursed his lips. He knew it was a good suggestion, but maybe his child wouldn't appreciate it. Amelia had become incredibly tetchy over the last few months. Maybe a small gesture was all that was needed... a plate of cookies and some warm milk, like in the old times.

"Here," Fran said, giving him the cup. "Go up ta her and cheer her up. She told me she just got an A+ on her art project, so praisin' her fer that could work well, too. Ya know, it was good they had time ta complete it! Eve told me most kids got their parents to help them!"

"What art project?" Niles couldn't help but be confused. Amelia hadn't mentioned any art project, especially not one that she'd gotten such a good grade on!

Fran's face fell, "She didn't tell ya?"

"No!" this really was worrying. She'd had a project to complete, and she'd done it all by herself, and then when the time came for her to get her result, she hadn't even told them she'd gotten a good grade!

He had to talk to her immediately.

Luckily, Fran seemed to think the same thing, and she began ushering him in the direction of the stairs, "Then go! Go, see yer daughter and get this whole thing settled. I'll show myself out."

Bidding Fran farewell at the door, he began to make his way upstairs.

Each and every step he took, he practiced where he'd start and what he'd say. He had to be delicate, he didn't want her to think she was in trouble when she hadn't actually done anything wrong. Hopefully, all she needed was a little love and understanding. Some warm milk and cookies, just like before – just like before everything seemed to have changed for no real reason...

The change in her attitude hadn't been brusque, but rather progressive. She'd become more and more isolated from them as the months went past, and only now he was truly feeling as though she was slipping through his fingers. Her behaviour was frustratingly similar to C.C.'s when she was upset about something – both mother and daughter had a tendency to bottle their feelings. They allowed them to sit there, until they simmered with anger. It wasn't the best of their traits, but he loved them just the same.

"Amelia?" Niles said as he pushed the door – which was ajar – open.

He found his child sat at her desk, her copybooks and textbooks open as she completed her homework. She didn't even turn around to face him when he entered – what is more, she seemed to get suddenly tense.

"Yes?" Amelia asked in a clipped voice.

Niles grimaced. Why hadn't she said _"yes Daddy"_? She always said " _yes Daddy_ "...

But he had to be strong – he was the parent here, and he had to find out what was wrong with Amelia.

"I brought you some cookies and milk!" he said, setting them on her bedside table. "Aunt Fran told me about the art project, too! Why didn't you tell us you got such a good grade?"

Amelia shrugged. "I didn't think you'd care. It's just a silly project," she glanced at the cookies and the milk before frowning and going back to her work. "And I don't want cookies and milk, thank you."

Well, this was more than odd. It was downright disturbing.

Since when did she think that they wouldn't care about her getting a good grade on something? They were her parents, and they were proud of everything she did, especially if it turned out as well as she'd wanted it to be. If they'd known she'd had a project, they would have been asking her how it was going all the time, offering their help and support in any way they could...

Instead, he was there, offering her cookies and milk that she didn't even seem to want.

Again, that was another disturbing factor. She loved his cookies – he made them especially for her, and kept them until she came back from school so she'd have something to snack on before dinner was ready. Why would she suddenly not want them? Had he done something wrong?

He couldn't think what, if so. Nothing had changed as far as he was concerned, over the past few months. Nothing except the fact that now his daughter seemed cold and oddly distant.

None of this made any sense whatsoever!

They had to talk. That much was obvious. But how did he even begin?

Should he be straightforward and just go ahead and ask her what was wrong? Or should he wait for C.C.? Maybe if they had a talk as a family things could get better...

He was at a crossroads, and for the first time in a long time he felt like he wasn't a good father. Granted, parenthood didn't come with a book of instructions, but he'd never felt so helpless before! There he was, stood before his clearly upset daughter and he had no clue what to do to make it better.

"Sweetheart, of course we care!" Niles eventually spoke, going to Amelia and turning her chair to him. It was painful to notice his daughter avoiding his gaze. "You are our daughter! And we love you very much..." he made a pause and gently tipped her face towards him. "You do know that, right?"

Amelia didn't reply. She merely kept her eyes cast to the floor and shrugged.

"Yeah, I know," she replied, sounding downcast. She then turned her chair away from him and tried to go back to her homework. "Could you please go? I need to finish my homework for Mrs Jensen's class."

Something resembling the feeling of needles pushed into Niles' heart. He didn't like hearing her sound so dejected, and not being able to do anything but stand there, helpless.

He was her father, he should be able to do more!

But she had asked him to leave, and he didn't want to make things worse...

He'd talk with C.C., and then they'd talk it through with her when they could all participate in the conversation. Amelia would be done with her homework by the time her mother got home, if the way she was putting her effort into ignoring him by doing it was anything to go by.

So, he nodded, and slipped the milk and the cookies onto her desk, next to her.

"Alright," he conceded quietly. "I'll leave you to it. And I'll leave these here, in case you change your mind."

As he left, he swore he could hear the mumbled voice of his little girl saying _"I won't"_. He feared he wasn't just hearing things, either, because something told him if he went back up to her room later, the plate and the cup would still be there, untouched, and probably not even looked at or considered.

He retreated down to the living room, and began absentmindedly flicking through channels on the TV, but nothing was holding his interest for very long, if at all.

All he wanted was for C.C. to get home so that they could talk with Amelia and the whole ordeal could come to an end.

The wait was agonising.

Usually, his wife arrived home around five o' clock, but by the time the clock had struck six, C.C. still hadn't arrived. It was just his luck that his wife had gotten delayed on the one day he needed her home as soon as possible...

Fearing that something might be wrong with her, Niles grabbed his cell phone and dialled C.C.'s number. She was only two weeks away from starting her early maternity leave – not surprisingly, carrying twins when she was already in her forties had become too draining, so they'd decided her to go on early maternity leave and stop working when she got to her sixth month.

The tone buzzed for a few moments before his wife's stressed voice came from the other end of the line.

"C.C. Brightmore speaking," C.C. said, and he could detect the tiredness in her voice.

"Hello, love," Niles said, trying to sound slightly more light-hearted than he really felt. "How are you?"

"Busy," the woman replied, sighing. "I know I said I wouldn't do it again, but I'll be working late tonight."

"C.C..." Niles began, the frustration and concern seeping through his tone.

"I know, Niles, I know... but I just need to leave things in order before I go on maternity leave," C.C. sighed and Niles could almost see her rubbing her temple. "I promise this will be the last time."

"Will you be here for dinner?" he asked, almost sensing her dreadful answer.

"No... I'm sorry lover. My father is staying at the office with me, so we'll eat together while we work. You could take the opportunity to have a nice evening with Amelia!"

He didn't know quite what to say to that. Their daughter was currently upstairs and, from what he could gather from her behaviour, almost certainly wouldn't want to spend time with him.

The next thing he registered was his wife's voice, this time worried, "Niles? Are you there?"

"Yes, yes, love I am," he replied quickly, running a hand through his hair. What was he going to do?

"Then why didn't you answer?" he could almost see his wife biting her lip as she thought. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Well, yes, but...I don't know!" this was all so frustrating, and the hand he was running through his hair began to slow down and pull on it more. He wouldn't be surprised if he actually ended up tearing some of it out.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" now C.C. just sounded confused. "Niles, what's going on?"

Did he really want to bother her with this whilst she was at work? She was under enough stress as it was – would it really be fair on her? To make her concerned about their eldest when she was already pregnant and had to worry about her work too?

But at the same time, he knew they needed to discuss Amelia's behaviour. And if she couldn't be there to help him, then perhaps he could explain what had happened, and they could work out a solution that he could then talk through with Amelia?

He needed her help with this. They supported each other, especially when it came to something as important as their daughter and her wellbeing.

"Niles, please, I am exhausted and I have tons of things to do... please tell me what's wrong," C.C. insisted when Niles didn't reply as soon as she'd liked it.

Niles grimaced. No… he couldn't burden her with this right then! Of course they'd talk about this when she'd come back, but he wouldn't forgive himself if he caused C.C. more stress. He could manage until she'd gotten home. For now, the best course of action was to calm his wife and let her go back to her work.

"No… no, love it's nothing!" he eventually said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's just Amelia's been behaving distant, as usual."

He could almost see her biting her lip again.

"What's going on with that girl?" C.C. said resignedly. She'd noticed with growing concern just how distant Amelia was becoming, especially with Niles. It was almost as if she was mad at him for something, but she'd thought her bad moods would have passed already!

"Did something happen?" C.C. asked again as she rested against her chair.

Niles could actually hear her groan of discomfort. He knew her back was killing her – she was carrying twice the usual weight inside her, after all – and being sat for long only worsened her discomfort.

He simply couldn't bring himself to make things worse...

No, they had to talk at home, when she was comfortable. He was Amelia's father, he should be able to handle the situation until C.C. arrived.

"Nothing I can't handle, love," he replied. "You carry on with your work, we can talk about it when you get home."

This time it was C.C.'s turn to be silent, which eventually turned into a dubious noise as she thought it over.

"Mm...I don't know, Niles. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely sure," he hoped he could fake the kind of determination his voice was giving off – it might help him in the conversation he was going to have with Amelia. "You just focus on what you're doing, and we'll talk about this when you get home."

He heard his wife sigh down the other end of the phone.

"Alright. You handle it and we'll talk as soon as I get back."

"Okay," Niles smiled a little bit, thankful for her trust. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

They said their goodbyes and hung up, and Niles steeled himself for what he was going to have to do.

Maybe if he made them both dinner, that would break the tension. Amelia loved his cooking, and if he cooked one of her favourite meals, it might let her know that he appreciated her, and wanted her to feel better.

It might make talking easier, too. Then they could put a movie on, and have the entire problem sorted out by the time C.C. got home.

He could see it in his mind already – they'd talk, he and Mia would share a peaceful dinner while watching a movie and then he'd send her off to bed. He'd tuck her in, as usual, and a new day would come.

He loved these well-practiced motions – he had a routine with his child, and no matter if the day had been good or bad, they'd always have that small moment for themselves. A moment of peaceful silence and warm love that enfolded them both like the duvet in Amelia's bed held her when she slept.

The invariability of this sort of ritual provided some comfort to Niles – even if she was angry at him, he'd always have the nights to make up for everything bad. His thoughts were somewhat uplifting; that's why he managed to smile again as he entered Mia's room – the girl was on her bed now, reading a book for school. He couldn't help the bubble of delight that formed in his heart when he noticed that five of the seven cookies he'd brought her were now gone.

"Mia?" he said, going to perch on the side of her bed. "Mommy is working late today. She won't be here for dinner, but we could have a father-da-"

"I don't want dinner," Mia cut him off. "I've had the cookies, so I am not hungry anymore."

He halted in his tracks.

Her words had immediately thrown all of his plans straight out the window, where they somehow managed to land slap-bang in the middle of the garbage. She didn't want dinner...she didn't want to talk...she had eaten, though. That was a good thing, in the least. About the only positive he could draw from this scenario.

He wasn't sure exactly where he should go from here, but it was clear the girl still wanted to be alone. And maybe some alone time wouldn't be so bad...it was definitely showing her that he respected her boundaries.

That was the only comfort he could seem to give himself – everything else seemed to be screaming that something was dreadfully wrong, even though there was nothing he seemed to be able to do about it.

He straightened up again, nodding, "Alright. If you change your mind, I'll be happy to make an extra plate, sweetheart."

He could have sworn he saw her give a slight, involuntary twitch as he called her that. But he can't have done really, can he? Why would she be upset by that?

"Okay," she muttered, sounding like she wasn't going to take up his offer, no matter what he said.

Not quite being able to help himself, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He had to force himself to ignore the discomfort he felt when Amelia flinched. She actually turned over on her bed, and went back to her book without saying anything.

"I'll go make dinner now, okay?" he said meekly, trying not to let his sadness show.

Amelia gave a vague grunt as acknowledgement, but she didn't look up. He left her room defeated, and feeling older and more tired than ever before. He didn't know what was wrong, but he'd have to do something fast. Otherwise, the consequences would be dire. Direr than he'd ever thought they'd be.

* * *

Niles carelessly deposited his empty plate on the kitchen counter and have a long, tired sigh. He hadn't believed he'd ever eat dinner alone again, and yet here he was.

Amelia's mood remained just as terrible as it had been that afternoon, but he'd given her some space. If she needed it, it was only fair, but for now it didn't matter anymore – it was Amelia's bedtime. Time to tuck her in.

Time to enjoy his favourite moment of the day.

The thought of wrapping her up nice and tight was like a soothing balm on his soul, but the relief was short lived. As he opened the door to her room to tell her she had to get ready for bed, he found a rather jarring sight – his child was already asleep, comfortably buried underneath a small pile of blankets.

She even seemed to have tried to tuck herself in, depriving him of the job he usually did...

No. _Replacing him_. Was it like she thought he wouldn't, like she thought he wouldn't care about her art project, so she'd come to the conclusion that she had to do it herself?

Being careful not to wake her, he seated himself on her bed, right next to where she'd curled up. She'd put her pyjamas on, and he hoped she'd brushed her teeth, too. After all those cookies, it would only be right.

His little girl, whom he felt was slipping away from him, and he couldn't understand why...

He couldn't wake her up to ask what was wrong. That definitely wouldn't be right or fair. But he so wanted to know what was going on in her mind that was making her behave like this. He reached out a hand, and began to play with Amelia's hair, enjoying just the lightest touch so he didn't wake her. He almost considered lying down next to her and sleeping there for the night, so that if she woke up she'd know he was there to rest against, and if it was the morning then they could have breakfast and talk.

But he was distracted from gently stroking her hair by the sound of the front door opening and closing.

C.C. was home, at last.

And it was time to tell her that he hadn't been able to handle it after all.

He took a second before resignedly getting to his feet. He used this moment to simply observe his sleeping child with attention. His eyes traced the contours of her factions – those factions that, despite being hidden beneath her baby fat, were so much like her mother's.

She seemed relaxed now... almost as if her dreams were a safe haven. Almost as if sleeping was a brief escape from the fears that assaulted her whenever she was awake.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered, stroking her hair one last time.

Niles carefully grabbed the duvet – which Amelia has kicked off in her sleep – and tucked it around her. It wasn't quite the same feeling, but he had to make do for now. Niles left the door ajar when he left for the entrance hall. Just in case Amelia needed them, of course.

As he got to the first floor, he spotted his exhausted wife plopping herself down on the couch. She rubbed her baby bump as she toed of her shoes – flats, seeing as she was carrying twins. The day had finally come to an end, and she was drained...

She didn't even have the energy to sit up and greet a fast approaching Niles. So she just lay there and extended her arms.

"Hey, lover," she mustered as Niles took his place next to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hello, sweetheart," he pecked her lips and cuddled against her, actually relishing in the fact that at least one person in the house was happy to see him. "Did everything get done?"

"Enough that I felt happy leaving it in order to come home," she replied, nudging him with her head. "What about you? Did you handle it, like you said?"

Well, here it went. Time to tell her that it had all gone wrong, and he wasn't even sure that he could offer an explanation as to why.

The sigh he let out before speaking was probably a good indication of how it went, anyway.

"Not in the way that I'd hoped," he said. "Amelia didn't seem to want anything to do with me - I brought her cookies and hot milk, I asked about an art project that she got an A+ on that she hadn't told either of us about, I said that I was going to make dinner, and each time she shrugged me off, like she didn't want to be bothered by me!"

Saying it out loud hurt, deeply. But it had to be done. If he and his wife were going to talk this over, he had to.

C.C. certainly seemed troubled by Amelia's behaviour – in a sense it was lucky she did, too. It meant it wasn't all in his head, so there was a problem that could be fixed out somewhere in the physical world.

The question, then, was what was causing Amelia to behaving this way. She wasn't being disrespectful or misbehaving, but her cold and detached demeanour simply wasn't her. Amelia refusing to have dinner and tucking herself in had only been further proof that something was definitely not okay.

Both parents were aware that they needed to get to the bottom of this, but they needed to agree on how to do it. Actually, it was more like they needed to talk about this whole affair! Both of them had noticed Amelia's reticence, but they hadn't really discussed it with each other after her outburst during the ultrasound.

They certainly needed to do that now.

"I don't know what to do," Niles added, sighing and letting his head rest against C.C.'s. "I feel... I feel like I am losing her."

C.C. tightened her grip on him. Perhaps it was the tone in his voice, but she could feel his fear and his sadness seeping into her very soul. It was almost as if his emotional turmoil was contagious – almost as if the dread caused by the uncertainty of not knowing what was wrong with Amelia was a toxic weed taking root in her heart.

Their daughter clearly needed help – this behaviour was just a cry for help! Why hadn't they done something before? Why had they waited?! She hated seeing Niles and Amelia suffering, and this situation was only causing them pain!

"I know..." she replied helplessly, "But I just don't understand what could be causing this! Did she tell you something?"

Niles thought back, but came up with nothing and shook his head. She'd barely spoken to him in so long, now...what was she keeping to herself that she felt she couldn't tell at least one of them? She wasn't in trouble, she'd been perfectly behaved and done well at school, no arguments had happened – nothing added up!

"No," he muttered. It was almost bitter, and he couldn't even help it. He was getting angry at himself for leaving this for so long, and for not trying to ask Amelia what was wrong. "I wish she would, but she's been just as reclusive tonight as she has been for these past months. I wouldn't even mind if it was something that I did, because then at least she'd be talking to me and there's a chance I could do something about it!"

He buried his head in one hand, shuddering out a sigh as he wiped his fingers down his face.

"Have I done something wrong, C.C.?" he couldn't help but feel like he had to ask. "I just want to be a good father to her, but now she's shutting me out! Do you think she…"

He had to swallow, and steel himself to finish the question. It was so painful, he needed to gather the strength.

"Do you think she regrets choosing me, and that she's now trying to correct her mistake?"

C.C. looked downright appalled at that, "Oh, Niles, of course not! She picked you right from the start-"

"That doesn't mean she didn't make a mistake," he cut over her clearly, his voice filled with the dread that what he was saying was true. "And I keep worrying that she knows it! I'm trying my best, but what if it's not enough?"

C.C. nearly burst out crying when he spoke – she could almost touch his fear. It hung heavy over them, and it helped create a sense of foreboding that seemed to suffocate them.

She was sure Amelia loved Niles with all her heart – she knew her daughter, and she wasn't giving her father up. She was angry at them for something, that was obvious, but he hadn't been a bad father. He could never be...

Amelia had secluded herself over the course of the past months, and she was now almost certain that Smith had been right when he'd said Amelia was jealous of the twins. That would also explain the extra anger towards Niles.

Of course all of this thought was mere guessing. If they wanted to know what was wrong with her, they'd have to have a talk to her.

And they were going to have one.

But right then reassuring him was more important. C.C. held him close and pecked his lips, threading her fingers through his hair.

"Don't say that!" C.C. whispered as she trailed kisses along his jaw. "You are good enough! You are the best fa-"

And a loud whimper coming from upstairs – more specifically, coming from Amelia's room – interrupted her, making them start. It sounded like Amelia...

Both parents jumped to their feet and dashed upstairs, their hearts in their mouths. Given her state, C.C. got to Amelia's door a bit later than Niles did, but just in time to see him opening the door and poking his head around it and into Amelia's room.

"Mia?" he said softly. "Are you okay?"

The verbal answer never came, but the sight before him was enough for him to know she wasn't alright. The girl was curled up in a ball and was shaking. She was holding her toy monkey Bananas close as she tried to stifle her cries.

All his worries be damned, he rushed right to her side, feeling especially hurt when Amelia shrank away, over towards the wall.

Was she hurt? What had happened? Had she had a nightmare?

"Mia, what's wrong?" his voice never broke its gentle tone. "What happened?"

Amelia pressed Bananas to her more firmly, and fiercely wiped her eyes, "Nothing happened!"

Niles replied as he took a seat on her bed, "Then why are you crying?"

"I am not!"

It was a bad lie, and they all knew it. Niles looked helplessly over at C.C., who could only sigh in return as she wandered over to join them.

"Sweetie, you know you can tell us anything, right?" she asked her daughter calmly. "It doesn't matter what it is."

Niles took Mia's silence on the matter to jump in, "Exactly. We're your parents – we're here to help, no matter what. We love you, and..."

He hesitated again, before his wife's encouraging nod gave him some semblance of the strength he needed to continue.

"And… well, we've noticed that you haven't exactly seemed happy, for a while. Has something been bothering you?"

"I'm fine!" Mia snarled, tightening the sheets around her. "I just want to go back to bed now."

Niles sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that evening. He wanted to pull his little girl close – to comfort her and stroke her hair until the tears had stopped, but he knew it wouldn't be welcome. She was just like her mother; when she was hurt or upset she needed her space.

"Sweetie, we all know that's not true," he said softly. "And you don't need to hide that you are upset from us."

"Exactly!" C.C. piped up, taking a seat next to Niles. "You can tell us everything."

They watched with growing hope how Amelia peered up at them and at least appeared to consider talking to them. She was on the verge of opening up, and all she needed was one last little push.

"Have we done something to upset you?" Niles asked, trying not to let the hurt and the fear show.

"Because you can tell us if we have," C.C. joined in. "And if-"

C.C. winced minutely – the twins were up and one of them was kicking her in the ribs. She rubbed a hand over her stomach, almost as if to soothe her babies and Niles couldn't help but briefly focus his attention on her.

"Everything okay?" he asked, taking her hand in his.

C.C. nodded. "Yeah, they are just kicking me, that's all."

Niles squeezed his wife's hand reassuringly and looked back at Amelia who, to their dismay, looked angrier than before.

And she was! Even when she was sad, her brother and sister had to take her Mommy and Daddy away from her! She folded her arms over, tucking the sheets up around herself. There. They didn't have to do anything for her anymore – she could do it all herself, and they could spend all their time with her siblings now.

But the kick had only been a momentary blip to Niles and C.C. – a little distraction from the problem they really wanted to solve.

"Sweetheart, you have to tell us what the matter is if we're going to do anything about it," Niles tried again, releasing C.C.'s hand to reach out across the bedsheets for their daughter.

But whatever had happened just then had been a setback of some kind. But Niles didn't understand why. Was it really C.C. who had made her angry? If so, how? And why was most of her anger directed towards him if that was the case?

"You were almost about to tell us something just then," C.C. murmured, also reaching out towards Amelia. "What were you going to say?"

Amelia looked back and forth between them, apparently weighing up her options.

Niles and C.C. held their breath. They were on the brink of finding out what was bothering their daughter. Words away from learning how to make it all better...

That was when Amelia buried her head in her arms.

"I wasn't going to say anything!" she cried out stubbornly.

And they were back at the start...

What on Earth was going on? They'd been on the brink of solving this entire situation and now Amelia seemed even more reticent than before! Why was this? What had changed? What had they done?

"Sweetheart, ple-"

"I wanna go back to bed!" Amelia interrupted him, her voice strained with the tears she was forcing herself not to shed. She wanted to be alone... her parents couldn't be bothered, so she wanted them far away!

Especially her Daddy.

"Amelia, please," her father insisted, trying to stroke her hair, but she moved away just in time to avoid his touch.

This hurt Niles, and it hurt him deeply. Did she not want him anymore? Judging by her behaviour he'd say that she didn't...

But why?! What had changed? What had he done?!

"Go away!" she whimpered, the urge to cry becoming almost overpowering.

"Not until we know what's wrong," Niles said gently, but firmly. He had to put his foot down, and he was most definitely not letting this go. There was something terribly wrong and he was going to fix it!

"Why do you care?" the girl finally sobbed, her little face still hidden in her arms. "Why don't you just go away with _them_?"

She almost spat that last word – it was uttered with such loathing that it made her parents cringe. _Them_? What did she mean by them?

Could she be talking about the...

"Just go!" Amelia insisted. "I don't need you, and you have the twins to worry about!"

It all fell into place right then and there. That was it. Dr Smith had been right! That's what was bothering her.

 _They were having the twins._

She thought she was being replaced, and had decided to start taking care of herself because she thought they wouldn't anymore.

Both parents knew that was a common fear among children – the idea that a younger sibling would take all the attention, leaving nothing for the older one. But that didn't make it true! It definitely wasn't true in their case. They adored their little girl, and no matter how many other children they had, they would love them all equally.

But she didn't seem to recognise or understand that, and it tore at them both. It was beyond pain, if anything, seeing her so defiant because she had accepted the false conclusion that they weren't going to look after her anymore.

If anything, this only made Niles determined to look after her harder – to make her see that she was still his little girl, and that nothing was going to change.

"Right now, we're worried about you," he insisted right back. "Amelia, are you... _afraid_ that having the twins means Mommy and I won't have time for you anymore?"

It wasn't true because no matter what happened, they would always make time for her, but he wanted her to admit that that was what she was thinking, out loud.

The girl fell silent, and she could only curl up in a little, tight ball. She was crying still – they could tell it due to the intense shaking of her little, dainty body. She couldn't bring herself to speak – her Daddy had hit the Nail right on its head, and she didn't know what to say. Well, part of her wanted to say that yes, she was terrified of being replaced and forgotten, but what good would it make?

She knew they didn't care...

"Go away," the girl insisted.

"We aren't, Mia," Niles said firmly. He then moved closer to her and he began to stroke her hair slowly. The girl tensed for a moment, but as he repeated his motions over and over again she relaxed a bit.

Good. This was a good sign.

"We love you, sweetheart, and we are worried about you!" C.C. added, stroking her daughter's calf.

"And that's why we need to know what's wrong," Niles said. "So, please tell us, are you worried that Mommy and I won't have time for you because of the twins?"

Silence.

A silence that part of Niles feared would stretch into infinity.

A silence that served to make Amelia's blood boil. Yes! She was mad about that! Yes, she felt like they were replacing her!

And yes she felt that...

"You'll love them more because you put them in Mommy's belly," Amelia mumbled loud enough for Niles to hear.

Niles felt like his heart could break. So that's why she was angrier at him than she was with C.C.. Because she felt that her mother would be able to love – if not equally – all of her children, while he would only have eyes for those that were his from birth.

Again, that wasn't true at all. It didn't matter to him that he hadn't been the one to...well, maybe it did matter to him in some ways, but not in the ways that she was suggesting! It mattered to him because he adored her so much, he wanted to be her father in every single way possible, and to live up to the title she had chosen for him.

He had to show her that that's what he wanted, too.

So, he very gently slid his arms underneath the crying girl, pulled her up and held her close, rocking her gently from side to side.

"I would never pick one of my children over another," he pressed his face into her hair. "I love you so much, Little One. And I would never, ever say that I loved the twins more than you. Neither me or Mommy would – we love all three of you exactly the same!"

He hoped, so desperately, that she took his words into her heart. He didn't want her thinking, even for a single second, that she meant less to him because he wasn't her biological father. She was his little girl – they'd bonded closer than he ever imagined could happen the first time he saw her across the playground with C.C., when he'd been feeling nothing but a burning envy because he'd thought C.C. had married someone else and moved on.

But that hadn't happened. She had married him – they had a home and a family, and families comforted each other when something was wrong.

"That's right, sweetie!" C.C. agreed with him, stroking her daughter's hair and leaning over as much as she could to hug her husband and her child. "All three of you are the most precious things in the world to us, and we'd never stop loving you just because we have the twins...!"

And so Amelia's emotions ran loose. All the fear, all the anger, all the jealousy and all the sadness began leaving her body as she cried. She'd been – still was – so very afraid to be forgotten...

So very afraid to have her Mommy and Daddy taken away from her by her new brother and sister.

So very afraid that her Daddy wouldn't love her now that he was going to have two new babies that he'd put in her Mommy's belly.

She had grown up without a father until he'd come along, so of course she was terrified of him being suddenly taken away from her! She could only wrap her tiny arms around his neck and hold him as her face lay hidden in the crook of his neck.

Her Daddy was there, with her, and she wanted to believe that he'd never go away.

"You... you mean it?" the girl stuttered through her tears. "Be-because you'll be their Daddy since the beginning and I... I feel like I won't be good enough!"

Her crying worsened.

Her sobs were raw and heart-wrenching. It made both parents feel like they were being repeatedly stabbed...

"What if you... what if you start thinking that I am not good enough?" Amelia said, clearly addressing Niles.

"I'm never going to think you're not good enough!" Niles was on the verge of bursting into tears himself, but he held back because she needed him. He held her tighter. "You are good enough! You're my little girl, I'm your Daddy, and I will always say that you are good enough!"

Though why she felt there was a qualification, he had no idea. She was his, biologically or not. They had chosen each other, and that was all that mattered when it came to loving her with all his heart.

It didn't matter that he had biologically fathered the twins. She was his, just as much as they were.

Amelia whimpered, sniffling and sobbing still, "You mean it...?"

"Of course I mean it," he kissed the top of her head. "You are mine, and I love you. It doesn't matter if I've been there since forever or not. I could have become your Daddy yesterday morning, and I'd love you just the same! What matters is that I want to be your Daddy, now and for always."

Forever didn't have to just include the past – he knew he would want to be her Daddy for the rest of his life, and far beyond that.

But of course, it was all up to her.

He pulled away, holding her by the arms and brushing the hair out of her face so that he could look into her eyes – the eyes still thick and red with tears.

"Do you still want me to be your Daddy?" his question was gentle, and he was almost afraid that the answer would be no, but he had to let her have the say.

Not even a split second later Amelia nodded and threw her arms around Niles, needing to be close to him again. Needing to have her Daddy hold her after she'd feared he wouldn't do so anymore. Of course that her fears were still there – lingering doubts in the depths of her heart – but she could feel them beginning to disappear.

It would take time to forget just how scared she was, but it would be okay. She'd get there, eventually.

"Yes! Yes I still want you to be my Daddy. You are my Daddy..." she mumbled, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck.

Her words provided Niles with a sense of relief he'd never experienced before. The feeling was like getting home after having been outside while it was raining – it was warm and comforting and it made him feel like there was nothing wrong with the world anymore.

After having feared that he was losing her, this was certainly a gift.

"Oh, sweetheart," he kissed to top of her hair again. He then got to his feet very briefly (carrying Amelia with him, of course) and then resettled them against her pillows. C.C. helped him pull Amelia's covers up and gently tucked Amelia in as he held her.

"I love you," he continued as he stroked her hair. "You are my daughter and that will never change."

Amelia continued to cry against him, and he gently began to rock his body from side to side in an attempt calm her.

She seemed to like the idea, and she eventually asked for something else.

"Sing me a song, Daddy..."

He wasn't going to deny her that. He'd give her anything in the world that she asked for. Anything he could do that told her how much he loved her, and how he was never going to stop. And he felt he knew one which was appropriate here, even if not normally sung by a man. It was the sentiment he was trying to get across. He also felt it might help her go off to sleep again.

He took in a deep breath and began.

"Baby mine, don't you cry;

Baby mine, dry your eyes...

Rest your head close to my heart,

Never to part, baby of mine.

Little one, when you play

Don't you mind what they say;

Let those eyes sparkle and shine,

Never a tear, baby of mine..."

He could see her eyes growing heavy, and she started to yawn. He glanced up at C.C., too, who was watching this all unfold with tears in her own eyes.

But they were different tears - tears of happiness. The joy felt at seeing her family together again.

"From your head down to your toes,

You're not much, goodness knows;

But you're so precious to me,

Sweet as can be, baby of mine..."

That was when it happened – Amelia's eyes began to flutter shut. She was no doubt exhausted from the surging emotions, and from whatever nightmare had forced her awake in the first place.

Her little body relaxed against him, and she fell asleep soon after. Only this time, she had her father with him, and even if she was still afraid, she finally began to feel that he wasn't going away.

* * *

 **AN: Well, what can I say (L)? This is probably one of my favourite moments from the sotry! I'll upload some more chapters today! Thanks for reading and please so review! We love hearing your opinions.**


	24. Chapter 24

**_Chapter 23_**

It's funny how the biggest disasters can happen in mere seconds. One moment everything is perfect, and the next one your peaceful existence is disrupted by a catastrophe of titanic proportions.

At least that's how the current situation felt like for Amelia.

The day had been going so well! Her Daddy had prepared her favourite hotcakes for breakfast and he'd promised to take her to the park after he had picked her up from school... they'd been doing a lot together since their talk, but given the current situation, it was painfully obvious that any pleasant plans they'd once had, had already been tossed out the window.

She hadn't been looking for trouble... she had just been telling her friends about the fun weekend that she'd had with her Daddy and her Mommy! It was Sophia who had started everything! She had been the one to say mean things about her Daddy...

She and Sophia had never exactly gotten along, but what she'd said was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Who did she think she was?! She had no right to say what she'd said! And it had been her ugly words which had made her snap like that. It was the first time she'd punched someone in the face, after all. Sophia deserved it...

At least she hoped so...

So there she was, sat in the time-out corner of her classroom whilst her teacher, Mrs Jensen, awaited for her parents to arrive. Amelia grimaced, feeling a strange dread seeping into her heart. Why and what was she feeling? Why did she fear (was it fear what she was feeling?) that maybe Sophia hadn't been lying?

Granted, the other night, when her Mommy and Daddy had told her not to worry about things like that, she'd been sure that her thoughts concerning the twins were nothing but baseless fears, but what if they hadn't meant what they said? What if… if Sophia was right and they had lied to her just to get her to calm down?

That dreadful fear had been revolving around her head since the other girl had first said that her Daddy wasn't... that he... that she...

Amelia's eyes welled up.

She couldn't bear to think it. She couldn't bear the thought that maybe her Daddy didn't really love her, and was just stuck with her because he was with her Mommy. She couldn't bear to think that, perhaps, she had been lied at by her own parent.

As soon as she spotted her teacher coming over to see her, however, Amelia forced herself to stop crying and wicked her tears away with the edge of her sleeve.

"I just called your parents, Amelia. Your father is on his way," she said, kneeling down in front of her and speaking in that tone that all adults used to let a child know that they were displeased with them. "And we're going to get to the bottom of this."

She slumped in the chair, and said nothing. Mrs Jensen sighed, and got back up to go to her desk.

The teacher didn't understand. No one did. And how could she tell her Daddy what had happened? If he didn't love her, he'd lie to her again anyway! That started a fresh wave of tears, much to her chagrin, and her sobs became so loud that she almost didn't hear the footsteps coming towards the classroom.

There was a knock at the door, and a familiar voice, "Mrs Jensen?"

Her father was there.

Well... if Sophia was right (and part of her was starting to fear she was) he wasn't really her father. She peered up at him, taking care not to catch his sight; judging by the look on his face she simply knew he was furious with her! Probably he didn't want to deal with anything she did... especially if that meant having to go to school to talk to her teacher.

She quickly stared back at the floor when her father entered the classroom – or maybe she should start calling him Niles now? – There was no doubt that after what she'd done he wouldn't want her to call her Daddy anymore. She had to be strong, though. She couldn't show any weakness... that's why she forced herself to stop her cries and roughly dried her tears.

"Hello, Mr Brightmore, thank you for coming," Mrs Jensen said, shaking the man's hand. "Would you please take a seat?"

"Of course," the butler said, looking over towards were Amelia sat, facing the wall. The teacher hadn't told him what had happened, but she did mention his daughter had behaved in an unusual and absolutely unacceptable way. What had she done?

"Thank you," the teacher said, taking a seat at the same time Niles did. "I am sure you are anxious to know why I called you in."

"Indeed. My wife wanted to come, but unluckily her pregnancy prevented her from being here," Niles explained. "What happened with Amelia?"

"Well..." the teacher sighed, her brow furrowing, "I must say I am surprised by her actions – she'd never caused any trouble before – but today she punched a classmate, Sophia Vanderbilt, in the face."

There was a dreadful silence in between Mrs Jensen speaking and whatever Niles' reaction was going to be. Amelia couldn't bear it, but she knew she had to.

"She did _what_?!" he sounded like he couldn't believe it, and Amelia knew right then and there that she didn't have a Daddy anymore.

Niles wasn't thinking anything of the sort, however. He just couldn't believe that Amelia would do such a thing! She was such a nice little girl, what could have compelled her? They hadn't taught her to behave in such a manner, and of course she had to be punished for it, but there must have been some deeper reason behind it all.

"From what I was able to see, she punched another student in the face," Mrs Jensen repeated, before sighing and looking in Amelia's direction. "But she won't tell anyone why she did it."

Niles frowned. He just couldn't understand it. But Amelia was so like her mother, she must have been reacting in the same way C.C. would when something was upsetting her – she was keeping it to herself.

They just had to find out what that was, that was all.

Knowing his child, however, he decided that they needed some time alone to discuss this. It wasn't that he didn't trust her teacher, but rather that Amelia was more likely to open up if it was just the two of them in the room.

"Did you happen to see what happened before Amelia did that?" Niles asked; the more information about the incident, the better. "Were they arguing?"

"Not really," Mrs Jensen said. "They were just talking and playing with their toys – nothing out of the ordinary."

Again Niles fell silent and nodded. He was honestly shocked by her actions, but he was decided to get to the bottom of it.

"Alright... might I be allowed some moments with her? Alone?"

The teacher smiled and assented with her head. "Of course, Mr Brightmore. I will be in my office if you need me. It's the door adjacent to the classroom's entrance."

After Niles had thanked her, the teacher quietly left the room, giving the little girl one last concerned look. Once the door was carefully closed, Niles got to his feet and walked to Amelia, who was still facing the wall and glaring daggers at it. He waited in silence for her to turn to look at him, but when it became obvious she wasn't going to move, he crouched before her and spoke.

"Amelia, look at me."

"Just punish me already," the little girl choked out. She didn't want (and wasn't going) to talk about it – she couldn't bear talking about it. Hearing his rejection would be something too painful...

Her words sounded harsh to Niles, and they threw him off, more than a little. Especially considering how distraught she looked. It would be best to take care of the messy details first –what had made her do this in the first place. He would be punishing her, later, but not until he had a full explanation of what had gone on.

"I'm not doing anything of the sort until we've talked this over."

"I don't wanna talk," Amelia folded her arms across her middle stubbornly.

Niles was starting to get more than a little irritated, but he tried his best to keep his voice level as he replied, "Well that's a shame, but we're going to talk about this anyway."

Amelia sat there in stony silence, dropping her gaze away from his.

If he wasn't her Daddy anymore, she didn't have to do as he said. And if he didn't really love her, not doing what he said wouldn't matter.

But of course, Niles didn't see it that way.

"Amelia, look at me," he said again. "And tell me why you punched someone in your class."

She remained in silence, feeling hurt and angry in equal measure. She didn't want to talk about it! Why did he want to know? It's not like he really cared right...?

"Amelia, I asked you a question. Answer me," Niles insisted, his voice becoming firmer and slightly louder. "Why did you punch Sophia?"

"Just because!" she snapped, crossing her legs. It was almost as if her body language was an expression of the emotional strain she was under.

"That's not a proper answer," he retorted sternly. "And don't use that tone with me. Now, I am asking you one last time – why did you hit that girl?"

Amelia's frown deepened, if that was possible. She was close to her breaking point, and the incessant questions were only causing her more pain than she was already in. How could she answer them? She didn't want to hear that Sophia had been right from him... especially not here.

"Amelia Brightmore-"

And that was it. That was the last straw...

Amelia simply couldn't hold herself together any longer after he'd called her by the surname he had given her – the surname that he'd only given her because he was stuck with her! She buried her face in her arms in an attempt to hide her free falling tears. But she couldn't keep her body from shaking with her sobs.

"Because she deserved it!" Amelia cried out, trying to choke out words through her sobs. "Because she said ugly things and I... she just... she was mean! And she deserved it!"

"Why do you say that, Amelia? What did she say?" Niles insisted, his voice softening ever so slightly. He longed to stroke her hair, but somehow something told him that she wouldn't appreciate it.

"She... she said that you are not really my Daddy because... because you didn't put me in Mommy's belly, like you did with my brother and sister! She said that you don't love me and that you are stuck with me just because you married Mommy! And she said that you lied when you said you do love me!"

And that threw Niles more than her behaviour had. How dare someone say such a thing! None of it was true, absolutely none of it, and the first thing he wanted to do was pull his little girl close and reassure her that her classmate had been lying.

But Amelia seemed too distressed to get near, and she was at last looking at him, but in pure, unbridled fear and desperation.

"Is it true?" she sobbed. "A-are you stuck with me...?!"

She buried her face in her hands, now afraid of his answer. He'd been so quiet, she was afraid that she knew the answer already. He was going to say yes. He'd been stuck with her because he married her Mommy. He'd never loved her, and had only spent time with her because he had to. And now he and Mommy were having the twins, he didn't have to pretend anymore.

But none of that came out. Instead, she felt two large, gentle hands grip at her wrists, stroking the skin softly, like he was trying to comfort her. It's what Niles was trying to do. Seeing her so upset and in pain hurt him deeply, and all he wanted to do was take that pain away.

"Of course that's not true, sweetheart!" he almost cried, feeling tears gathering in the corners of his own eyes. "I'm your Daddy, and I love you! I could never be just stuck with you!"

"But... but she said that... that you can't love a baby if you didn't put it inside the Mommy!"

Niles couldn't help it – he did cry. He couldn't stand to see her in so much pain, and he did feel like screaming at the brat who had made his child feel unloved. Amelia had been extremely sensitive since C.C. had gotten pregnant, and Sophia's words had affected her more than she was willing to admit. God… they'd only just gotten Amelia to open up after months of silence and this brat had ruined everything with her cruel words!

Sophia was wrong. He loved Amelia... she was his child. Biology be damned.

"Well, Sophia is wrong. I love you, sweetie. Would I have adopted you if I were stuck with you?" he said, tentatively moving one arm to hug the little girl's shoulders. "Would I have cried like a baby when you chose me to be your Daddy if I didn't love you?"

There was a pause during which Amelia appeared to be pondering over his words. She was still sobbing, but at least she was slowly allowing him to come near her.

"I don't know... I mean... I love you and I... I... I just want you to love me too, like you love the twins!"

"Oh... sweetheart..." Niles murmured, taking her in his arms and wrapping her in a tight, warm hug. "I love you – you are my daughter! Yes, it's true that we are going to have two new little Brightmores at home, but just like I told you the other night, that doesn't mean I'll love you any less! I adore you, and you are my daughter."

"You swear it?" Amelia asked, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

"I swear it," he replied immediately, kissing her hair, and hugging her like he would never let go. "I am your Daddy, and I will love you forever and ever. No matter what anyone else says."

"I'll love you forever and ever and ever, too," Amelia whimpered, trying to apparently nestle herself further against him.

Niles let her, too. After something like this, she needed all the comfort she could get. And he was perfectly happy to provide that. She would be punished for what she did, appropriately, but later. Not right away. It wouldn't be any help to them or to her to start disciplining her when she believed that one of them didn't love her. It would send the wrong message.

He rubbed her back comfortingly, "Come on; I'm going to have a quick word with your teacher, and then we'll get going, alright?"

Amelia nodded, but stayed firmly where she was. She didn't want to let go just yet, so Niles simply lifted her in his arms and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. He'd have to talk with C.C. about this, but for now he had to focus on letting the teacher now the true reason behind his daughter's outburst.

They'd discuss what had happened at length once Amelia was feeling a bit better, and seeing as it was Friday they had the whole weekend to deal with this at home.

Mrs Jensen was horrified when she heard the reason behind Amelia punching Sophia. And although she was still upset about Amelia having reacted violently instead of having looked for help, she and Niles agreed that Sophia had been at fault, too.

So, after the teacher had promised she'd phone Sophia's parents, both father and daughter began their way back home. C.C. was already waiting for them in the kitchen when they got to their mansion – she'd begun her maternity leave only two weeks ago – and she was anxious to hear what had been so bad that it had required Niles to go in and talk with Amelia's teacher!

"It's nothing," he said airily, mostly for Amelia's sake. For him it was anything but unimportant, but the girl didn't need any more worries. Actually, she needed some rest and a good cup of hot chocolate.

"Niles, it ca-"

"C.C.," Niles cut her off, giving her a pleading look. "I'll tell you in a moment, just let me take her upstairs and tuck her in. I promise we'll talk in a moment, okay?"

C.C. saw the way he looked at her, and knew that he meant what he said. So she stood back a little, and nodded.

"Alright," she said quietly. "We'll talk in a moment."

"Thank you," Niles made his way towards the stairs, and carefully carried his daughter up to her room.

Helping Amelia into her pyjamas, he plumped up the pillows and peeled back the covers, before gently laying her on them, and tucking all the sheets back around her securely.

He hoped she felt safe, and loved.

"Comfortable?" he asked, waiting for her to nod before he continued. "Good. Now, if you wait right here, I'll be right back with a little something to help you stay cosy."

"Okay," Amelia mumbled, snuggling against her pillows. They smelled good, like they'd been freshly washed, and they were making her feel warm.

She felt like she was at _home_.

Smiling softly, Niles rose from his seat on her bed and went back downstairs, leaving the door more than slightly ajar. He immediately went to the kitchen, and his wife followed him in, arms folded across her pregnant belly. She was most definitely waiting for his explanation.

And she was going to get one, as he started to prepare Amelia's hot chocolate.

"What happened?" C.C.'s question was clear and simple.

Niles put a pan on the stove, "Amelia was in trouble today. She punched another student in the face."

C.C.'s jaw dropped, "She did what?! Why would she do something like that?! I can't believe that my little-"

Niles held up a hand for silence, and surprisingly enough, he got it. He looked up, into his wife's eyes, and somehow found the courage to tell her the worst part.

"This particular classmate, Sophia Vanderbilt, had told her that I couldn't really be her father, and that I couldn't possibly love her, because I'm not her birth father. Then...went on to say that I was merely stuck with Amelia, because I married you."

C.C.'s features became unreadable, almost. Her mouth closed a little, and she straightened her back more (as much as she was able to). It was like she was deep in thought and yet wounded at the same time.

It seemed an age before she said anything.

"But that's not true at all!" she at last cried, seeming to have come over the shock his words had caused.

"I know that," Niles replied, continuing to prepare the cocoa. "I know it, you know it...but it was enough to make Amelia doubt it, and it's not surprising considering just how sensitive she's been since she found out about the twins. And, well...she lashed out."

C.C. turned, and leaned her back against the counter. Her poor little girl must have been badly hurt by what her classmate had said! If C.C. had been there, then, well...that child would never have said such nasty things to anyone ever again, that would be for sure.

She bit her lip, eyes cast to the floor, "What do we do about it now, though?"

"Well, I managed to speak with Mrs Jensen about it," Niles poured a hearty amount of cocoa into Amelia's favourite mug. "She is going to talk with the child's parents, so there will be repercussions for them. And, after a generous amount of love and attention to reassure Amelia that nothing could be further from the truth than what the girl said, we will make sure she understands that what she did was wrong."

C.C. pursed her lips, upset by what that little brat had done to her daughter and by the twins kicking her ribs at the same time. "Alright... but we'll talk to her about that tomorrow. Now I just want to console her..."

Niles nodded. He was thinking along the same lines. Given what had happened earlier, they didn't really consider reprimanding Mia a priority. She needed love and togetherness, not more harsh words, even if they were for her own good.

"Sounds fair to me," Niles said, placing the mug on a tray and moving to cut a piece of his homemade cheesecake. "I'll be right back after I take this to-"

"I am coming up with you," C.C. cut him off, teetering towards the exit door. "And we are all watching a movie together. So bring up some extra snacks, Julia Child."

She heard him chuckle under his breath as she laboriously began climbing up the stairs – this was honestly something she hadn't missed about being pregnant…

Back to the matter at hand, however, she had never been lenient when it came to educating Amelia, but she just had to make an exception here. What that other girl did was cruel, and C.C. could understand her child's aggressive reaction. Amelia was a good and obedient child and she seldom misbehaved, hence her being sure that she had truly been hurt by what Sophia had said. It wasn't that she agreed with what she'd done to Sophia – it was the other way round, actually – but rather that she could understand Amelia's fear and subsequent anger at the other girl having poked her nasty little finger where it hurt the most.

Once she'd managed to reach the top of the staircase, C.C. quickly covered the distance between the landing and Amelia's bedroom. She found the girl curled up in a ball under the covers and hugging her old toy monkey, Bananas.

"Sweetie?" C.C. called from the door. "May I come in?"

Amelia hesitated, but she nodded softly. Her initial reluctance surprised C.C., but everything made sense when she realised there were a few tears running down her cheeks – Amelia hated when anyone saw her crying.

And it broke C.C.'s heart to see her girl so affected, too. She wished that she could run to her and hold her close to make everything better, but with the twins, it wasn't entirely possible. She had to make do with the fastest walk she could manage, and she seated herself on the edge of Amelia's bed, just as she had done every night for so many years.

Amelia was lying down, trying to hide her face in the covers.

"Your Daddy told me what happened," C.C. said quietly, looking down at her daughter and moving the covers aside to stroke her hair. "But you don't have anything to worry about, sweetie..."

Amelia's eyes travelled up towards her mother, and she sniffed, "I don't...?"

C.C. shook her head, "Your Daddy loves you more than his own life. Just like I do. And no one is going to take that away, ever."

She hoped that this really was getting through to her daughter. The last thing she wanted to imagine was Amelia thinking that she wasn't completely adored. It was hard enough trying to grow up, let alone doing it thinking you were all by yourself, after all.

"Even though you're gonna have the twins?"

C.C. carefully slipped under the covers and snuggled down next to her child. She gently pulled Amelia close to her and held her as she stroked her long hair. The girl tucked her head underneath her mother's chin and allowed her to lace their free hands together.

"The twins won't change anything, sweetie," C.C. crooned. "Your Daddy and I love you all equally, and that will never change. Parents have the same amount of love for all of their babies, and you are still our little girl. You will always be our little girl..."

"Even when I am older?" Amelia asked in a small voice.

"Even when you are older. We will love you until the day we die, and that's saying something!" C.C. then moved back so she could look down into Amelia's eyes. "Having these babies will only make our family bigger, sweetheart. It won't change how your Daddy and I feel about you! We love you, and that won't change. Just like we told you before."

And so Amelia burrowed against her mother, letting the older woman hug her as tight as she could. Honestly, she needed this... she'd been needing it for a long time.

"I was just so angry, Mommy..." Amelia cried, beginning to whimper again. "So scared that Sophia was right... and I... I didn't want to hurt Sophia! But I was just so angry..."

"I know, sweetie, I know..." C.C. pressed her cheek against her daughter's head. "But you don't have to be afraid. We love you more than words can possibly say, and nothing will make us change our minds about that."

Amelia cuddled as close to her mother as she could, feeling safe in her embrace. She'd calmed down now that the adrenaline of the day had worn off, and she was feeling oddly sleepy. But another set of footsteps just outside the door kept her in the present moment, and her eyes went to the source.

Her Daddy was there, carrying a tray packed with all kinds of food, and appeared to have a movie tucked tightly under his arm to prevent it from falling as he went up the stairs.

"Are my two favourite girls still awake under there?" he half-whispered.

C.C. eased herself upright, pulling Amelia up, too, so she could cuddle her, "That we are. What fine selection of goodies do you have for us tonight?"

Niles put the heavy-laden tray down on the nightstand next to Amelia's bed proudly. It was a fine collection, if he did say so himself; the hot chocolate, the cheesecake, some packets of potato chips, popcorn, pretzels, and assorted candy and chocolate. Everything someone could possibly need if they wanted cheering up through comfort food.

"A large one, if I must say," Niles said, coming to settling next to his wife and child on the latter's queen-sized bed after putting on the movie. "Nothing but the best for the two most important girls in my life."

He draped his arm around C.C.'s shoulders, and Amelia snuggled in between them. Niles allowed Amelia to partially rest her back against his chest and he then handed her the mug of hot cocoa he'd prepared for her.

He had put extra mini-marshmallows in it, just how she liked.

"Is it any good?" he asked after Amelia took a sip.

"Delicious!" Amelia exclaimed, enjoying the feeling of holding the warm mug in her hands. "Thank you, Daddy."

"It's no trouble, sweetheart," he gently stroked her hair, basking in the feeling of being together like this. "Feeling better?"

Amelia nodded. "Mh-hm, a bit better, yes," the girl made a pause and sipped at her drink again. The anguish was slowly ebbing away and being replaced by a warm sense of belonging – like she was at home.

Well... this was her home! Her place was there, with her family.

And the movie was one of her favourites, too. Her Daddy must have picked it out specially.

That was exactly what Niles had done, as it so happened. He knew Amelia well enough to know all of her favourite things, and he hoped that something like this would cheer her up. A few days of love and understanding was all that was needed. They'd show her how much they loved her, but they'd also get her to understand that she needed to apologise to the student she'd punched.

But that could definitely wait. They had more important things to do right then.

Specifically, watching a family movie, eating snacks, and just enjoying the feeling that being together provided.

The closer the movie got to finishing, the more Niles and C.C. realised that Amelia was starting to drift off to sleep. It wasn't late, by any means, but she'd had a long, and very stressful day, and probably wanted nothing more than to get comfortable and rest her tiny, tired body.

So, when she drifted to the point of nearly falling back against her pillows, they allowed her to, and tucked the covers up around her, Bananas settled safely under her arm.

Neither of them moved, though. Instead, Niles covered them with the duvet and both husband and wife joined their daughter in resting for a little while. They snuggled together, Amelia still safely held between Niles and C.C., and allowed their daughter's even and tranquil breathing to lull them into a deep, relaxing sleep.

* * *

Niles could see Amelia coming out of the school, and he kept his smile firmly in place. There was no sense in showing his anger before he'd given Amelia the chance to explain herself – knowing his child, there surely was a reason (not necessarily correct) for her to blatantly decide to disobey them and refuse to apologise to Sophia. And, what was worse, Amelia had apparently had the gall to claim that Sophia had deserved to be hit in the first place!

After the incident, they had received a call from Sophia's parents, who'd wanted to apologise for the things their child had said. According to them, Sophia had paid big time for her rudeness – two weeks with no TV, days out or candy. They didn't know why Sophia had acted that way, but they'd made it clear to Niles and C.C. that they weren't going to tolerate that behaviour.

Apologies were in order from both sides, though – Amelia had to say sorry for hitting Sophia, and the latter had to apologise for being so rude. Sophia had actually said she was sorry, but Amelia had both refused to accept her apology and had said those spiteful words to Sophia, too.

In hindsight, everything had been going smoothly until the moment Amelia had been told she had to apologise to Sophia. He remembered that he'd noticed the girl's attitude had shifted... almost as if she was bothered by having to apologise.

They had explained to her that hitting someone else was wrong and that it entailed consequences, but that couldn't explain her withdrawn and sulky behaviour. He'd talk about it with her soon enough, but for now he wanted to put his plan into action.

As it turns out, Mrs Jensen had called them again to mention Amelia had not only refused to apologise, but she had openly said Sophia had deserved it. So, not being one to tolerate this type of behaviour, Niles had chosen to talk it out with Amelia first. He wanted to give her the chance to talk about what had happened, and he only hoped she had a good explanation to why she'd behaved in that way.

"Heya, Daddy!" Amelia exclaimed as she wandered over towards her father and to the family car.

"Hey, sweetheart! Did you have fun today?" Niles asked, opening the passenger's door for her. "Did Sophia bother you again?

Amelia seemed to turn her eyes very quickly to him, as though weighing up what she should say, and then looked back into the car.

"Nope," the word was quick, like she was hoping he'd change the subject.

Well, she was going to have to guess again. The subject wasn't being changed. Not in the slightest. He'd give her one more chance to explain herself, and then they were going to talk about it.

Her mother was going to be very interested in what she had to say.

And whether or not she'd chosen to say it straight away.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked, helping her with her seatbelt. "No more arguing or fights going on? No more mean things being said?"

Whatever she said next would seal the direction the rest of the day went in.

She looked him, right in the eyes, and shook her head again.

"No."

 _Right_. Well, that was it. They were definitely going to talk this over. Not only her refusal to say sorry to Sophia, but also her blatant lying once it was done.

"Really?" Niles said, still sounding calmed and as though there was nothing wrong as he slipped into the driver's seat. "Well that's strange..."

He saw Amelia's eyes widening slightly on the rear-view mirror – it was the same look her mother got whenever she was nervous or when she was unpleasantly surprised. The little girl began fiddling with her seatbelt and tapping the air with her foot.

He gave her a few more seconds to change her mind and tell the truth, but the girl remained silent. Silent and with her eyes firmly cast downwards.

"And you know why it's strange?" he said, now beginning to sound a little more upset but still not raising his voice. "Do you Amelia?"

No answer...

"It's strange because your teacher told me something different," he continued, making a turn to the left – it was minutes until they arrived to their home. "She actually told me you refused to say you were sorry!"

He looked at her through the rear-view mirror again, his brow furrowing slightly. He knew she'd been affected by Sophia's words, but under absolutely no circumstances was she going to be allowed to hit a classmate and get away with it.

Not to mention the lie. That was what was bothering him the most – that Amelia had actually taken him by a fool and lied to him. If she'd said the truth then, he would have calmly explained why she had to say sorry anyway, but now it was too late for that.

"So, either you are lying or Mrs Jensen is lying," he exclaimed with feigned airiness.

Amelia remained silent. A similar feeling of dread was coming over her to the one she'd felt when she'd been caught punching Sophia.

It was that horrible, burning and yet chilling at the same time feeling.

It was anger, for what Sophia had done, and the fact that she was the one who had to apologise for what had happened.

It was shame, for having decided to do it in the first place.

It was fear, for the fact that nearly everything was pointing to the fact that Sophia had been telling the truth, and it was her parents who were lying.

They were almost on the brink of arriving home, too...

"So, Amelia..." he was pulling the car up in front of the house, and he parked. He turned the engine off. "Which is it?"

Still, she said nothing. Her refusal to admit how wrong and badly behaved she was being was starting to irk him more and more, and he opened the car door, stepping outside to open her door, too.

Amelia slid out, not looking at him.

"Still not going to explain it to me, hm?" Niles asked, his voice the same upset and angry tone.

Not waiting for an answer, he took her hand and began to walk them towards the house.

"Well, then, perhaps you'll tell your mother..."

Amelia felt a chill running down her spine. Her mother... God... she may be young, but she knew extremely well just how bad an angry Mommy could be. Especially if that angry Mommy was none other than C.C. Babcock.

But there was a part of her that simply refused to acknowledge her wrongdoings. Sophia had been the one lying! She shouldn't have to apologise because Sophia was mean first! Sophia had lied to her by saying her Daddy didn't love her, and no one seemed to care.

 _Unless..._

No. She refused to believe that... not after they had promised to her that Sophia had said things that weren't true...

So she stayed silent, her eyes glued to the floor as her father walked her into the house and locked the door behind him. As usual, they found her Mommy sat on the sofa, watching a movie and munching on some homemade biscuits.

The sound of the door closing and of footsteps approaching had caught the blonde's attention, and she turned to greet them.

"Hey there!" C.C. said, smiling softly.

The happiness was short lived, though. As soon as she noticed both Amelia's and Niles' expressions her own smile fled from her face.

"What's with the long faces?" she queried, looking at Niles, almost wordlessly asking for a proper explanation.

"Go on," Niles urged, his voice hinting at anger by this stage. "Tell your mother what happened."

Amelia shook her head, and continued to stare at the floor.

"Amelia Brightmore, tell your mother what happened at school," he was on the brink of snapping, but just about held back. At this stage, it was becoming an annoyance – she had to admit what happened eventually!

"I don't want to!" Amelia at last cried out.

"Amelia!" C.C. sounded shocked, and she turned to her husband again, asking him this time if he could tell her what was going on. "Niles, what happened?"

Niles looked displeased, and he knew it – he was hoping that Amelia would look up and see, so that she might feel like an explanation would be best coming from her. But of course that wasn't going to happen, because she was too stubborn for her own good sometimes.

"I received a very interesting phone call from Mrs Jensen," he began loudly. "She told me that not only had Amelia not apologised for hitting Sophia, but had in fact said, and I quote, "deserved it"."

C.C.'s jaw dropped, "Amelia! Why did you say that to her?!"

At last, Amelia looked up into her mother's eyes, defiant and angry, "Because she does deserve it!"

C.C.'s stunned expression did nothing but worsen as she struggled to shift on the sofa to have a better look of her child. Amelia had never done anything like this before! She was a good, kind girl... this behaviour just didn't make any sense!

"And to top it all," Niles added, folding his arms and glaring down at Amelia. "When I asked her about it, she lied!"

"What?!" C.C. cried out, shock feeling like a punch in the gut. Lied?! Amelia had lied?!

"As you hear!" Niles said, his voice becoming louder and angrier than ever before. "She lied right to my face!"

There were a few second of tense silence – mostly because Amelia had nothing to say and C.C. was simply struggling to react. It just couldn't be! Her daughter had never acted so horribly before; she had never lied before, either. So why was she behaving in such a way?

It angered her, but it also disappointed her. She'd thought that after their talk the other day she would have understood that hitting Sophia had been wrong, but clearly she had learnt nothing. What's more – her behaviour had only worsened.

Eventually, C.C. got to her feet and walked towards Amelia, her arms crossed over her pregnant belly. She crouched down before her child and heaved an angry sigh.

"I am disappointed, Amelia," she admonished. "Disappointed in your actions and in you. Refusing to say sorry after hitting a classmate? Lying to us?!"

And that made something inside Amelia snap. The mention of lying was just... infuriating! Sophia had lied in the first place! And she was the one who had to pay the consequences! Not her! She looked up at C.C., defiantly.

"Fine," she hissed. "If I am such a disappointment then give me away!"

Both parents gaped, not being able to believe their ears.

"Amelia!" Niles glowered.

"What?!" the girl talked back. "I mean it! And maybe it would be better than to stay in this horrible house!"

That not only made her parents angry, but it also hurt them deeply. Why would she think they'd give her away?! She was making them upset, but they still loved her. It especially hurt Niles.

"We are not giving you away, don't say such silly things," Niles replied sternly. "All we want you to do is apologise!"

They weren't going to get rid of her? Why not? They'd just said she was a disappointment! Wouldn't it be better for everyone if they just got rid of her, and saved themselves the trouble? Maybe they wouldn't keep having to tell the twins to apologise to anyone.

No. No, they wouldn't. No one could say that they didn't have a Daddy…

He was right there in front of her, and she used to think he was hers, too. But now she didn't know.

How could she know, if Sophia might have been right?

"I am not going to apologise," she repeated, just about managing to not cry. "Never! Because you are horrible and I don't care about what you say! I will never say sorry to Sophia!"

And that was it...

That was the straw that broke the Camel's back. She'd gone too far, and they weren't going to tolerate her insolence for one more minute! Besides, they were all too angry and upset to get anything positive out of this conversation.

"That's enough!" Niles bellowed, his voice harsh and angry. "You go to your room at once!"

"Fine!" Amelia screamed, marching towards the staircase. "It's not like I wanted to be here with you anyway!"

Not giving her parents time to reply, the child ran upstairs and dashed into her room, slamming the door behind her. She violently threw her backpack to the floor and kicked off her shoes in an attempt to quell her anger.

But was it really anger? She wasn't sure... it was as though there was something else apart from the scorching rage she'd felt while being reprimanded by her parents. It was like a... wet emption... she didn't know how to word it. It was the same feeling one would have while being outside with no umbrella during a storm. It made her feel heavy, cold, lonely...

As though all the happiness in her world had been stolen from her.

Why did they want her to say sorry?! Sophia was mean and a liar, and she did deserve what she got! She had said something that wasn't true – a lie, for all intents and purposes. Her parents had always said lying wasn't okay...

But if Sophia could get away with it, then it meant that what she'd said was true...

That her Daddy not wanting her was a reality.

That realisation felt like a knife being buried deep within her chest. Her Daddy, the man she had chosen to be her father, didn't really love her as his daughter. He'd lied to her... and now he had two real children that he would love instead of her.

And her Mommy... her Mommy surely preferred him. And her new babies.

And they had lied to her when they'd said they loved her and that Niles was his Daddy…

No one wanted her, just like Sophia had said.

Amelia could feel the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she forced herself not to cry. She had to be strong. If no one wanted her, then she was on her own. And she'd let them be happy with their new family... she'd go away.

And so, knowing that her parents would surely be in their room right then (she'd heard them going up only a few moments before) Amelia quickly changed into a clean set clothes – a comfy pair of jeans, her favourite sweater, her red boots and her favourite red coat – prepared a small bag with the things she supposed she'd need and grabbed the 100 dollars she had saved in the past year and a half.

Finally, she wrapped a scarf around her neck, put on her gloves and slowly opened the door to her room. She made sure to be extra silent when she tiptoed downstairs and sneaked out through the kitchen door.

Where she'd go? She didn't know, but it was better than staying there...

* * *

 **AN: Well, here you go! We hope you liked the chapter. We'd love to read your reviews! Until the next chapter.**

 **H &L**


	25. Chapter 25

**_Chapter 24_**

Niles forlornly padded his way down the dimly lit hallway towards his daughter's room. Just like afternoon had turned into evening, Niles's anger had morphed into a deeply-rooted sadness and concern. Amelia's outburst had been… shocking, to say the least. Actually, it was more like it had been distressing. He would have never believed that his own child was capable of being as disrespectful as Amelia was, and the fact that Mia had reacted that way was a major cause for concern.

Now that his anger had faded away and that he had a level head, it was time for him to try and reason with Amelia. There had to be a deeper reason behind her aggressive demeanour, and he was decided to find out what on Earth was disturbing Mia so much that it had completely changed her personality! It wasn't going to be an easy conversation, by any means, but it was necessary.

"Amelia?" Niles said coming to a halt and knocking on the girl's door. She'd been in her room for little over an hour now.

Silence.

Had she fallen asleep?

He knocked again, "Amelia, please, open the door..."

Nothing.

He pressed his ear against the door and listened. The room was far too silent...

"Amelia, I am coming in!" he called out and practically yanked the door open.

What he found behind it, was a messy and _daughter-less_ room.

Immediately, he felt dread coming over him. He dashed towards the en-suite bathroom, and checked if she'd simply left to use it.

No such luck. The door was open and the room was empty.

He went back, and checked under her bed, and in her wardrobe. She wasn't hiding. But her coat was gone, and so were her shoes. And so were her savings, taken from the little box she kept on top of her dresser.

 _Oh, no_.

No, no, no...

"C.C.!" he yelled out, the panic rising inside him already evident in his voice.

"What is it?" her voice was there long before she physically appeared, shuffling with the effort of carrying twins inside her. Her eyes darted around the room as she took in the sight. "...Where's Amelia?"

Niles continued to wade through their daughter's things, hoping for something that would provide a clue, or give an explanation – a note on a scrap of paper, anything!

"I don't know! I don't know," he cried out, devastated and terrified in equal measure. "I came up to talk things out with her, and I found her room like this...!"

He gestured around, and C.C. saw what he'd seen. Her shoes and coat missing, and her savings box raided. He could see C.C. going unnaturally pallid. It was as though all the blood had been drained from her face when the realisation of what had probably happened dawned on her.

She didn't want to believe it... please don't let it be true!

The blonde turned on her heels and waddled back outside the room and into the hallway.

"Amelia!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "AMELIA, PLEASE!"

But the house remained silent – so silent that she could almost hear the echo of her missing daughter's laughter. An echo she knew was only inside her head.

"No... God... please..." C.C. had to support her weight against the wall. Her knees simply couldn't hold her anymore. "Please… Amelia…"

Niles ran to her and wrapped his arms around his wife, trying to hold his tears for her sake. His desperation just as terrible as C.C.'s, but he had to be strong now – both his child and his wife needed him. It was obvious to them that Amelia had left the house, but where had she gone to? And when exactly had she left? For all they knew she could have been in the street for hours now!

"Niles... Niles where is she?! Do something!" C.C. wailed, holding onto him for dear life.

And he was going to do something, God dammit! He was going to find her... he couldn't bear the thought of not finding her.

"Call your parents," he said, his voice cracking. "I'll go out to look for her. Call the Sheffields, your brother, everyone! Ask them all to look!"

C.C. nodded through her tears, and once Niles had walked her back to their room and had helped her get settled on their bed, he grabbed his coat and a picture of Amelia before running outside. There was some snow, and a few meters ahead of the entrance door he found Amelia's bracelet.

She always wore it. She must have dropped it when she left the house.

He picked it up, and put it in his breast pocket, before looking around for footprints, hoping he'd spot some that seemed to fit Amelia's shoe size.

He didn't know why he bothered. They lived on a street in New York, for pity's sake! It wasn't like some country village in England, where a person could leave one trail of footprints in snow for however long their journey took and a person could distinguish the footprints for hours afterwards. The trail had been walked on since however long ago Amelia had been there...

There were so many footprints, going in so many directions...although...one set did appear smaller than the others...

And it had the brand logo of Amelia's shoe in it! That was a start!

The trail faded off with the snow, but it appeared to head off in the direction of Central Park.

That was a place to get lost. And a place to be found by far too many people...

He dashed off, following the hope the footprint gave him, and praying he wasn't too late.

* * *

"That will be $1.95, dear," the smiling street vendor said as she handed Amelia a warm pretzel. The girl looked positively distraught, but she limited herself to searching for the change inside her pocket and paying for her treat.

It was weird, the vendor thought... what was a child – and an extremely well dressed one, at that – doing out there, all alone? Where were her parents?

"Are you okay dear?" the older woman asked. "Are your parents here? Are you lost?"

Amelia pursed her lips and shook her head. "I am not lost. And I... Well... I'm alone."

That set off an alarm inside the vendor. What had happened? She felt the girl needed help, but she didn't want to scare her off by being overly inquisitive...

"Oh... okay, sweetie. Do you want me to call someone? I have a phone with me."

"No, thank you," the girl said, the urge to cry coming back as thoughts of her parents and her house slipped into her mind. "I will have my pretzel now. Thank you."

And so the girl turned around and walked to the staircase of the MET. This all seemed awfully odd to the vendor, so she resolved to keep an eye on the girl until someone picked her up. The girl simply sat there, looking miserable and nibbling on her treat. She barely moved for around half an hour, and eventually, she started to cry.

The vendor was about to intervene when yet another costumer arrived. She supposed she could sell one more thing and then attend to the girl.

"How can I help you, sir?" she asked.

"A pretzel, please," the man with bright-blue eyes and a British accent replied. As he paid for the treat, he glanced at the girl and sighed. "How long has she been there?"

The vendor frowned. Why did he care? She was reluctant to talk about a child – a lost child at that – with a strange man.

"She... uh... maybe half an hour? She seemed distraught," the vendor replied.

"Thank you," he gave the woman a gentle smile. "For taking care of my daughter."

The vendor quirked an eyebrow. _Daughter_?

And before she could ask anything else, he showed her the picture of the smiling girl being embraced by him and a visibly pregnant blonde woman (his wife and the girl's mother, she supposed).

He was telling the truth!

"No need to thank," the woman said. "Hope everything ends up okay!"

"So do I," Niles replied, walking to Amelia.

The relief he'd felt the moment when he'd seen the red coat in the distance had been heavenly...

As he'd made his way along, searching around and calling as he'd gone, each and every single terrifying scenario either the media or his imagination could come up with had run through his head. He'd been so scared he'd never find her. That no one would ever find her.

But she was right there. She was safe, and someone clearly kind and responsible had been watching out for her.

So, he took his own pretzel, and approached her. He was afraid of what her reaction would be to finding him there. But it was better that he was there and able to talk things through with her than anything else that could have happened.

He needed to clear the air with her. Make her feel more comfortable.

"Excuse me, young stranger," he put on the voice he usually used when trying to amuse her, hoping it would work. "Is this seat next to you taken?"

Amelia looked up at him, using one gloved hand to wipe at her eyes, somewhat furiously. She then returned to her pretzel – not eating it, but glaring at it instead.

"Don't you want to be at home, with your family?" she asked.

That took Niles aback more than a little. What did she mean by that? It was like she was separating herself from everyone else...

"What do you mean by that?" he said softly, crouching before her. "And I could ask you the same thing – wouldn't you like to be at home, with your family?"

The girl's frown deepened and she gave one furious munch to her treat. Why did he have to find her?! She didn't want to see him or her Mommy ever again.

"No," she eventually snarled, looking away as a few tears pooled at the corner of her eyes.

"Why not?" he asked patiently.

"Because I don't want to be with any of you anymore," Amelia replied, sounding just as cold as her mother had sounded when she'd asked him to leave, all those many months ago.

C.C. and Amelia were similar in ways the two of them didn't seem to realise, and one of these ways was their compulsion to push people away when they were sad or distraught. So, what was hurting Amelia so much that she'd wanted to push everyone in her life away?

"Why?" he insisted. "What did we do? Maybe if you tell us what is bothering you, we can make things better together."

That seemed to touch a sore spot. And the girl crossed her arms and hid her face in them. It was almost as she was shielding herself from him.

"Go away!" she cried out. "Go back to the house and to your life! I won't bother you anymore!"

Niles felt like he'd just been slapped. Why would she think that?! Yes, they'd been angry at her for lying to them and for talking back, but they adored her! Where would she get the idea she bothered them?

"You don't bother us..." he said softly, "You are our daughter."

"Yes I do! And no I am not!" she sniffed, keeping her face hidden from his view. "You lied to me when you said you weren't stuck with me – you always say that lying is not okay, and you say that lying has consequences. Well, you told me Sophia had said something that wasn't true – a lie – and she got away with it and I had to say sorry! So that means that what she said wasn't a lie! You lied to me, you don't love me, and you are not my Daddy and now you have two new babies to love instead of me!"

She crossed her arms over and buried her face in them, starting to sob. Saying it all out loud had to be done, but it hurt so badly... It shouldn't have done. If she was gonna make it by herself, she had to be tough. And that started with cutting off all the people she didn't need anymore. The people who didn't love her.

But it hurt...

And it was hurting Niles, too. More than words could say. Was that why she'd been acting strangely? Because of what Sophia had said, which had lingered in her mind, even after their conversation?

She must have taken it the wrong way, when they'd told her she still had to apologise. Having to say sorry for hitting someone had nothing to do with what the other girl had said! Besides, Sophia had been punished – not just through being hit, but also via her parents. Niles and C.C. had had words with them, and the girl hadn't gotten away with it, even if Amelia thought she had.

She thought Sophia hadn't been punished, so she must have been telling the truth...

Amelia must have been so scared – so worried that everything that had happened meant that they didn't love her any more. That he had never loved her in the first place! That couldn't be further from the truth. He adored her with all his heart. She was his eldest child, and nothing – not even this – was going to change that. If biology didn't, a misunderstanding and some emotional turmoil wasn't going to, either.

Trying to prevent himself from crying in his own pain, he took in a breath, and began to speak.

"If I was just stuck with you, would I be out here, looking for you?" he asked gently. "Would I have been dreading what could have happened, if I didn't love you? And would I still call you my daughter, and be proud and thankful to be able to do so, if I weren't your Daddy?"

Amelia didn't reply, but her crying did stop a little. He wished he could see her eyes, but her little face was still hidden in her arms.

Tentatively, he sat by her side and wrapped an arm around her. It almost felt like a déjà vu of the afternoon he'd been called in by Mrs Jensen. This time, however, Amelia tried to elbow his arm away, but after a few moments of tension, she relaxed and allowed him to hold her. She still was curled up in a ball, but this was a start.

"I don't know..." she eventually whimpered, her voice thick with tears.

"What is it that you don't know?" he said gently.

"If... if what you said it's true! Because you said that before and it wasn't true..."

He tightened his grip on her, and she actually allowed him to pull her closer. "Of course it's true! I love you, sweetie, and every day I wake up I thank God that you chose me to be your Daddy," he began stroking her hair. "I am proud of you and you are my daughter, no matter what anyone says or even if now there are two more babies on the way. I love you just as much as I love them!"

"But you didn't put me in my Mommy's belly! And Sophia-"

"Sophia was wrong, sweetheart," he reassured her. "And she was punished, she just didn't tell you."

That seemed to appease the girl somewhat. She didn't exactly lift her head from her arms, but she shifted it so she could look at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Really?"

"Mh-hm," Niles nodded. "We spoke to her parents and they were really angry at what she said, and she was punished for what she did. We only wanted you to say sorry for hitting her because hitting people is wrong, even if they are being mean and saying things that aren't true."

Amelia remained silent for a few moments but eventually lifted her head. Her eyes were puffy and he could see the trail left by her tears; it killed him to see her this sad...

"So… so you really mean it?" she squeaked. "You love me? Even if you are going to have two new babies?"

"Of course we do," Niles continued stroking her hair, and allowed his thumb to go to her cheek and catch some stray tears still falling. "You're our little girl. And no one and nothing is going to change that."

She stared at him for the longest time. It was just like he'd said before...he really meant it, didn't he? She was loved; he'd come to find her, when he didn't have to. He could have stayed home, with her Mommy and their new babies, and forgotten about her entirely...

But he hadn't. And nothing was going to change the fact that he loved her like she loved him.

Without another word, she threw herself into his arms and buried her face in his shoulder, now crying for a whole new reason.

"I'm sorry, Daddy..." she whimpered. "I'm so sorry..."

Niles hugged her tightly, and kissed at her hair, "It's alright, sweetheart...it's alright..."

Well, it wasn't alright that she'd run away like that, but punishing her wasn't the right way to go about this. She needed reassurance, not harsh words. And being able to hear her say "Daddy" was the best thing he could imagine, after fearing he'd never hear her again.

He held her for what felt like an eternity – he simply couldn't bring himself to let go. The fear of losing her had been so terrible... so heart-breaking... that he could only bask in the glory of having his child safely hidden in his arms.

He'd given C.C. a call when he'd first spotted Amelia on the staircase so she'd know their daughter was fine, but he still felt like he'd better start heading back to their home. They were just twenty blocks away, and seeing as it was twilight already, he thought it would be wiser to go back home. They all needed to rest and Amelia needed a nice warm bath after being out in the cold for so long.

"Let's go home, okay?" he murmured, getting to his feet and picking Amelia up in his arms.

"Okay."

The girl wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder, ready to go back home. She was exhausted, too, so she allowed herself to close her eyes and rest. There was something incredibly relaxing about being in her father's arms again, and that combined with her closed eyes and the even pace of his footsteps, lulled her into a peaceful sleep.

Niles couldn't help but smile when he noticed she was asleep, and he tried not to wake her as he opened the front door. As soon as he put a step inside the house, however, C.C. – who had decided to wait by the door until Niles and Amelia had returned – ran to them.

"My baby girl!" she cried out, a few tears still making their way down her pale cheeks. "My sweetheart..."

The noise woke Amelia from her nap, and she looked towards her mother sleepily.

"Mommy...?" she reached out wearily, and C.C. clutched at her hand, stepping as close as she could with her stomach in the way.

The woman was almost too overcome to say anything, but wrapped her arms around her husband and daughter, and bathed Amelia's face in kisses. Amelia responded by reaching out more, and whilst Niles held her, she put her arms around her mother's neck so that the two could embrace tightly. C.C. began to calm herself more as she breathed in her daughter – she was there; she wasn't hurt. She was fine. She was safe.

She wasn't going to be let out of her sight again for a very long time.

She stroked her daughter's hair, and kissed her again, as the tears started to dry up a little. She had done as Niles had asked and called everyone they knew, and all of them had gone out to look for the little girl.

But she'd had to stay in, obviously, and the guilt of not being able to go out and look for her had been tearing at her. The pain had been unbearable. All she'd been able to do was sit and think about what had made Amelia run away like that, and her mind kept telling her it was all her fault...

There would be time to talk about it, of course, but right then she only wanted to hold her daughter close. The pain was still there – would still be there for a very long time – but she finally could breathe.

"You are freezing," C.C. mumbled, feeling Amelia's skin. "We have to get you to a warm, nice bed... or wait! A hot bath will work better!"

"Okay, Mommy," Amelia said drowsily, resting upon Niles' shoulder once again. "I am just very tired."

"I know, sweetie, I know," C.C. stroked her cheek. "Your Daddy and I will prepare you a bath and then we can go lie down, okay?"

The girl nodded as they all made their way upstairs. Seeing as the master bedroom's en-suite bathroom was a lot more comfortable and bigger than Amelia's, C.C. asked Niles to prepare the bath as she helped Amelia out of her clothes.

The relaxing bath did help to warm the girl up, but it also made her even sleepier, so after her mother had dried her hair and she had changed into her pyjamas, the former producer took Amelia to her and Niles's bed and tucked her in before slipping into bed next to her.

Niles joined them, making sure to hold both of them tightly.

It didn't take long for the three of them to drift off into a dreamless sleep, but it was interrupted a few hours later. Amelia was moaning in her sleep, and she seemed to be... sweating?

 _Damn..._

She had surely caught a cold. _It figures_ , C.C. thought; she'd gone out in the cold and now she was sick. It was unfortunate, of course, but it would be nice to have her home with her for a few days.

After what had happened, C.C. was certain they needed some family time.

"Niles," C.C. said, shaking her husband's shoulder. "Niles, wake up! I think Amelia has a fever."

" _Hm_?" Niles shook himself awake, blinking over towards his wife. As the words she had spoken registered, he looked down towards their little one, and used the back of his hand to feel her forehead.

She did feel terribly warm, and he pulled a face.

"We should get her to cool down," he said, knowing what to do from years of experience with the Sheffield children. "If we put her on top of the covers, that might help. And then I'll get a cloth to dab her forehead."

Between them, they managed to slip the little girl, still moaning in her half-sleep, out from underneath the covers, and gently placed her on top. Niles then hurried into the bathroom, found a flannel, and ran it under the water, before wringing it out so it was only damp, and bringing it back to the bedroom.

Mia was still feverish, but both parents were hoping that being out from underneath the covers would help, and Niles climbed onto the bed next to her, pressing the little flannel to his daughter's forehead gingerly.

The cold cloth was a brief relief for Amelia, and she instinctively tilted her head towards Niles.

"Daddy..." she whimpered, reaching out for his free hand, "I don't feel well..."

"I know, sweetie, I know..." Niles crooned, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "You are a bit feverish, that's all."

"I'll go get the thermometer," C.C. said, struggling to get out of bed. "And a clean set of pyjamas, too."

Niles agreed. The girl's pyjamas were drenched in sweat, so it would be best if they got her into fresh and clean clothes. They had to get her comfortable, especially after what had happened earlier that day.

Soon enough, C.C. returned with the clean set of clothes and the thermometer and laid them on her side of the bed.

"Alright, sweetheart, let's get you out of those sweaty clothes," C.C. said and carefully peeled Amelia's pyjamas off her body. Niles helped their daughter stay sitting up as her mother changed her and he then cradled her in his arms as C.C. prepared the thermometer.

"Raise your arm, sweetie," C.C. said and Amelia did so, letting C.C. set it properly in her armpit. "Now lower it and keep it tightly pressed against your body. Don't move until I tell you to."

Amelia nodded weakly and complied with her mother's orders. When the time was up and the digital thermometer beeped to signal it had finished measuring the girl's temperature, C.C. removed it from underneath Amelia's armpit and read the numbed displayed on the little screen on its side.

"102°," C.C. read, frowning. "Looks like I'll be giving you an Advil and you'll be spending your time in bed until you get better, missy."

Amelia groaned quietly, but neither parent could tell if it was because she needed to sleep more, if she was hurting from her illness, or if she was annoyed at the idea of having to stay in bed until she got better.

If it was the last one, she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. She was going to have to rest, and that was final.

"It's alright, sweetheart," Niles rubbed her arm as he held her. "Just try to take it easy..."

She nodded a little – as much as she could with the ache that was coming over her. Her Mommy had often said that she should wear a coat so she didn't catch a chill, but this felt so much worse than a chill. It hurt her all over...

Her mother, meanwhile, had managed to up again and gone to the bathroom, and Amelia watched from her position in her father's arms as C.C. came back with a little box of Advil and a glass of water.

"Here we are, sweetie," her mother murmured, settling the contents of her hands on the nightstand so she could open the box and take out a pill.

She held it out towards Amelia's mouth, and picked up the water to let her take a mouthful before helping her put the pill in. Amelia swallowed it down, and Niles rubbed her back.

"There," he said. "We'd better wait for that to take effect. And you can have the next dosage in the morning. We'll wrap you up nice and tight, and we'll watch some movies. And maybe Grandmamma and Grandpa can stop by-"

"Niles!" his wife's voice suddenly cut through his words, sounding panicked.

His head snapped up towards her, "What's wrong, love?"

"My parents!" C.C. hastened to explain. "And the Sheffields! We didn't tell them Amelia was back!"

Niles' eyes widened. _Bloody Hell!_ They all were still worried for her when there was no reason to fear – at least not any more.

It wasn't right to leave them all to worry until the next morning.

"Then we have to call them all and tell them Mia is fine," Niles said, allowing Amelia to shift in his embrace and get comfortable on his chest. "Do you want me to do it?"

C.C. shook her head. "No, don't worry. You stay with her and I'll do it," she smiled as she saw their daughter snuggle even closer to Niles; she was fading fast, and his presence was comforting. "I'll be right back."

C.C. left her bed once again and waddled to the office, giving Amelia some silence so she could rest. She admonished herself as she went, not being able to believe that she'd been so thoughtless! Her parents had been worried sick, and she'd promised to call them as soon as Amelia had reappeared.

She plopped herself down on her chair as soon as she got to her study. Even the shortest trips exhausted her, but she didn't have the heart to ask Niles to move when he and Amelia had been cuddled up together so nicely.

She quickly grabbed the phone and dialled in her father's number. She knew for a fact he and B.B. had agreed to look for Amelia together, so she hoped they were still together. It would save her from having to call her mother's house too.

It didn't take long for her father to pick up.

"Kitten!" Stewart exclaimed, "Is she back? Is she okay?!"

"She's fine, Daddy," C.C. silently thanked God for it, too. Again. "I'm sorry we didn't call earlier; everything just..."

She trailed off with a sigh.

"It's alright, C.C., I understand," Stewart said. "It's completely natural to let some things slip when more important matters present themselves."

"Yeah," she wiped her eyes. "Yeah, I know. And to answer your other question, we think she caught a cold, from being outside for too long. We've given her some Advil and we're going to make sure she rests until she's better."

"Good, good," C.C. could almost imagine her father nodding, down the other end of the line. "Hey, Kitten, what would you say if your mother and I came to visit tomorrow? We wouldn't try to wake her if she was sleeping or anything like that, but, well, after this..."

It was Stewart's turn to trail off, and C.C. understood exactly why. She also understood why they would want to come over. They wanted to see their granddaughter, and probably to talk in private about why she had run away in the first place.

Niles knew all the details, so they'd get their wish.

"I think you coming over might be a good idea," she replied. "Amelia would like it."

"That's great!" the happiness had returned to her father's voice. "I'll let your mother know, and we'll be over tomorrow."

"Great, we'll be here," C.C. smiled. "Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Kitten."

She hung up the phone, and took a few minutes to brace herself and prepare for the next call: the Sheffields.

The Sheffields had been just as worried as them, and knowing Fran and what her moods could do to the people around her, they'd all be on edge and sat near a phone, waiting to hear good news. It was a blessing that she had good news to give them. C.C. was painfully aware that they had been lucky, for in a city like New York anything could have happened to Amelia while she'd been out on her own.

She sighed. She and Niles hadn't had the time to sit down and discuss why Amelia had escaped, and she couldn't help but wonder. Was it because they had snapped at her? C.C. simply couldn't bear if she had been the reason behind her daughter being angry enough to escape...

"Calm down, you two," she murmured, rubbing her stomach – the twins had been restless the last past hours. She supposed it had to do with her own nervousness, but she truly wasn't in the mood to constantly be kicked in the ribs.

When the twins decided they had moved enough for the night, C.C. finally grabbed the phone and dialled the Sheffield's number.

After the tone had buzzed for a few seconds, the phone was picked up (thankfully) by Maxwell.

"Hello, Maxwell," C.C. said, the tiredness through from her words.

"C.C.! Oh my God, is everything alright?" the man asked. "Is Amelia back home?"

"Yes, yes she is..." C.C. stifled a yawn, actually eager to finish the conversation already and get back to bed. "Niles found her. We should have called earlier, but-"

"Is she alright? Where was she? Did she eat? Was she hurt?!"

C.C. held the phone away from her ear whilst Fran got the questions out of her system, and returned it when the former nanny had calmed down some.

"She is fine, for the most part. She caught a cold, being outside for so long, but we're going to make sure she gets all the rest she needs."

"Good," Maxwell was back at the phone again. "I'm...sure that the three of you have a lot to talk about, after this..."

C.C. pulled a face, holding off her frown. She did have to ask Niles what had happened when he'd found her, but she didn't know if she wanted to do it right away, or wait until the morning...

She needed to sleep, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to with her wondering. And at least one of them would probably have to stay awake to check on Amelia... So maybe she could speak with Niles when Amelia was asleep. In her state, it wouldn't do her any good to stress over this, so perhaps discussing it with Niles would help her have some peace of mind.

After such a tiring day, she knew she could bear one last hard conversation.

Especially if that conversation helped her understand what had gone on inside Amelia's mind.

"Yeah... Niles actually spoke to Amelia when he found her, but we are certainly going to discuss what happened once she gets better," C.C. said, rubbing her eyes.

She was so tired... she was almost regretting not asking Niles to deal with the Sheffields!

"Oh... okay," Maxwell replied, his tone cautious. "I think that's a good course of action," Maxwell cleared his throat and silence lingered for some seconds.

There was nothing more to say and it was already quite late. Honestly, the only thing both of them wanted to do was go to bed to their respective spouses.

"Well..." the British producer said, "It's late and I think we should all rest after such a stressful day."

C.C. silently thanked her lucky stars – for once Maxwell wasn't as thoughtless as he usually was.

"Indeed. Thank you all for your help... it truly means a lot to us."

"Don't mention it, you know you are family," Maxwell said softly, "Goodnight, C.C.."

"Night, Maxwell."

The producer hung the phone, ready to dash back to bed. It took her a few tries to get out of the chair by herself, but eventually she found herself on her feet and walking – waddling – to her bed.

And there she found a most welcoming sight, even if it was because their daughter was sick: Niles cradling Amelia in his arms, rocking her a little so that she could fall easily back to sleep. C.C. eased herself back onto the bed, and slipped back under the covers, relaxing against her pillows.

She watched in silence, just allowing Niles and Amelia to have some peace. Their little girl was nearly fully out of it, anyway; her eyes were nearly all the way shut, and her breathing was becoming slow, and deep.

She needed it, after her ordeal.

And C.C. and Niles needed to have this talk, but she wasn't quite sure where to begin, or how to start...

She felt a certain amount of dread, thinking that maybe her husband would tell her that she was the reason their little girl had run away. That she had been a bad mother, who hadn't done her absolute best to make sure that her child was protected, loved, and taken care of...

Of course, she knew he wouldn't put it like that. He'd find some way to soften the blow. But the words would be implied; they'd have to be.

"I can tell there's something on your mind," her husband's soft words brought her out of her panicked thoughts. "It might help if you said them out loud, you know."

C.C. grimaced. Part of her knew she needed (and wanted) to talk about this, but at the same time she was dreading the answers she'd her. She simply didn't know if she'd be able to bear the burden of having failed Amelia, but at the same time she knew she needed to hear this.

She needed to know...

The woman sighed and snuggled closer to her husband, taking care not to wake Amelia in the process. She took a moment to touch her forehead – still warm... but it was getting better.

"I was just thinking..." she sighed forlornly.

"I think I figured that part already," Niles gently teased her as he stroked Amelia's hair. "Thinking about what?"

"About... about Mia running away," C.C. said, her voice cracking as she spoke and a few tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. "I... I... I can't understand why she did what she did!" she looked up at him, almost pleadingly. "Why did she do it?"

In her eyes he could see two pleas – a plea to tell her the truth, and a plea to soften the blow if he knew it would be too hard on her.

The blow was hard, to be fair, but it wasn't her fault.

It was no one's fault, really. Amelia was going through a bit of a hard time, that was all. Nothing that proper care, love and reassurance couldn't cure.

"Love, it wasn't anyone's fault," he began, resting his head against hers. "Amelia was a bit sensitive, that's all."

"Sensitive about what?"

Niles heaved yet another incredibly tired-sounding sigh. Time to try and explain this in the gentlest way possible.

"About... about the whole issue with Sophia. It seems Amelia misinterpreted a few things," he began, trying to sound less affected than he really was. "We always tell her that lies have consequences, and in her view us making her apologise to Sophia meant that what she'd said was true because she hadn't been punished. That combined with the twins, she believed that we'd lied to her the other day and that in truth we didn't love her anymore and that Sophia had been right. Don't worry too much, love, she is only a bit sensitive, that's all."

Oh...well, the things Amelia had been worrying about couldn't be further from the truth!

It killed her to think that her own daughter had thought she didn't love her, and had replaced her by having the twins. She wouldn't ever dream of not loving any of her children, especially not her little Mia...the girl had given her a reason to exist, in her mind.

In a roundabout way, she had brought Niles to her, as well. If Mia hadn't been enrolled at the same school as the Sheffield children, they never would have met again. She would have stayed away and alone, a free woman but an unhappy one.

But now...now, she had a family. And it was all thanks to the little one sleeping more comfortably now between her parents. C.C. was determined to make it up to her. She was going to prove to Amelia just how much she was loved, and that was going to happen over the next few days, as the girl recovered from her cold.

They were going to show her that neither of them would ever leave her.

She smiled sadly at her husband, and then down at Amelia, "That's easier said than done...being told your daughter thinks you don't love her..."

She sighed, trying not to cry. Niles tilted his head to kiss her cheek.

"I know, I know..." he assured her, "But we both know that's not true. And I don't know about you, but I'm going to use all the time possible to show it, as well."

"That was my plan as well," she said, brushing her fingers against her daughter's cheek.

Rationally, C.C. knew how hard it could be for children to adapt to the arrival of new siblings; especially is they had been an only child for long, like Amelia had been. She knew children had a logic of their own and sometimes succumbed to irrational fears – such as being unloved or forgotten.

But at the same time she simply felt guilty. Amelia was young and she didn't deserve to feel that way, and she was going to show her how much she loved her.

Actually, they were going to show her how much they loved her...

It was a blessing to have Niles by her side.

"Then it's settled," Niles said and kissed C.C.. "And seeing as we have a plan, we should follow our daughter's steps and go to bed. It won't do us any good to be tired when she needs us."

Sleep truly sounded like the best thing in the world right then, C.C. thought. They'd had a long and stressing day, so they had earned their peace.

"When you are right," she started, snuggling underneath the covers and edging as close to Niles as her belly would allow. "You are right. Goodnight, lover."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

Niles draped an arm around his two girls, and soon the family was once again lost in a peaceful and dreamless sleep.

 **AN: And there you have it! She is back :) Hope you liked the chapter and please let us know your opinion! Until the next one!**

 **H &L**


	26. Chapter 26

**_Chapter 25_**

 _It was raining._

 _Actually it was more like it was pouring, but to Amelia it made no difference. She had gotten used to the unforgiving cold that seeped to her bones or to the furious gales that lashed against her small, malnourished body, penetrating her ragged clothes and making her shiver. Her once bright red coat had adopted a russet hue, her boots were worn out and filled with holes, and her once fluffy and soft sweater was nothing but a dirty piece of cloth that was somewhat useful to keep the cold at bay._

 _She couldn't remember exactly when she'd left her old house, but it felt like an eternity had gone past since then. She had ran out of money, was starving and had nowhere to go... she didn't even remember the way back to her old house! No one had come looking for her, either, so she'd had to manage on her own..._

 _She'd aimlessly wandered around the city for days - months, maybe? - cold, alone and only thinking of the parents she'd left behind. She didn't know how to call them or how to contact them in any way, and she felt like she was running out of options._

 _The thought of her family brought tears to her eyes as she pushed her little bag behind her. She was exhausted and felt dirty, but for now she could only care about finding refuge from the ferocious storm. As she rose her head, Amelia spotted a very familiar sight a few meters ahead..._

 _It was her old house! Oh my God! It was her old house!_

 _Feeling her heart bursting with joy, she ran towards it, already craving to be in her Mommy's arms before asking her Daddy to read her a story and tuck her in..._

 _"Mommy! Daddy!" the girl screamed pounding on the door. "It's me! I'm home... I'm home..."_

 _But no one answered..._

 _She tried ringing the bell over and over again, but to no avail. Dread started to wrap itself around her heart like a vine. Why weren't they answering?! The lights were on, and she could hear their voices coming from inside._

 _She edged round the house until she reached the window that gave to the living room and peered inside..._

 _And there they were... her parents, comfortably snuggled in front of the TV with the twins safely hidden in their arms. Her Mommy had a content smile on her face as she stroked her sister's cheek, and her Daddy was playing with her brother..._

 _There was no sight of any of the many pictures depicting her that had once decorated the walls. Gone were her pictures from the wall of memories, and they had been replaced with pictures of her parents and the twins._

 _"Aren't they beautiful?" her Mommy asked, looking down at the twins._

 _"Gorgeous! And so well behaved!" her Daddy replied._

 _Amelia tapped the window glass, desperate to get their attention, but not managing it. Couldn't they hear her?_

 _"Mommy! Daddy! Please..." Amelia cried, banging on the window._

 _Why weren't they answering?! Why weren't there any pictures of her on the wall?!_

 _"I don't know how we managed without them," Niles remarked, lifting her little brother up and beaming at him proudly. "Our two perfect, good little children."_

 _Two children? They didn't have two children, they had three! She knew she'd been gone a long time, but didn't they remember her?!_

 _They can't have done...they had done what she'd been afraid of all along; they'd gone on without her and forgotten her._

 _She had to make them remember! She slammed her little fist against the window, screaming, begging, pleading..._

 _"Mommy!" she sobbed, feeling a pain in her chest that could only be heartbreak as her mother lifted up her little sister and kissed her like she was the only daughter she had. That she would ever have. "Daddy! Please, I'm sorry!"_

 _But they heard nothing, and Amelia was growing weak by this stage, her fist seeming to hit the glass slower and less forcefully each time. Like something was holding her back._

 _She tried shrieking again, her voice growing hoarse with the effort, "Mommy! Daddy! Please don't leave me!"_

"Mia."

 _She didn't know where the voice was coming from – it didn't even matter. She was alone; her Mommy and Daddy had the twins and they'd forgotten her. She was starving and cold and had no home..._

 _She had to make them see – she was still there!_

 _She tried screaming through her tears, and struggling to make the force trying to hold her still go away_. _It was keeping her from banging on the window, trying to shush her from crying out for her parents..._

"Mia, it's okay, sweetheart!"

 _But she kept fighting, her desperation only growing as she observed her parents getting to their feet and heading to the staircase, ready to go upstairs and sleep peacefully._

 _"No… please! Please come back..."_

 _And as she was about to hit the glass one last time, she felt a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around her..._

"Mia, wake up!"

 _...and the world suddenly went black._

Amelia opened her eyes to find herself in a familiar, warm environment. Was she... was she in her parent's bedroom? It had to be their room! The same cream-coloured walls, the same furniture... Had they let her in? Her slow waking mind gradually began to register the soothing presence by her side as she took in a deep breath and allowed her heartbeat to start going back to normal.

"It's okay, sweetie, it's okay," an soothing voice – her Daddy's voice! – crooned as he held her close. "It was just a bad dream... that's all."

A... bad dream?

As the last remnants of her dream faded away and reality washed over her, Amelia became more aware of her surroundings. She wasn't wet, or cold, or starving or dirty – actually, she was dressed in her nicest pyjamas and was in a cosy, comfortable bed. The only nuisance, however, was how feverish she felt.

But that didn't matter right then... right then the only thing that mattered was taking deep breaths and letting her Daddy hold her close.

"It's okay, Mia, I am here," he said softly, and Amelia began to cry in earnest, clinging to him for dear life.

Niles had been awoken by her screaming, and he'd gotten into action almost immediately. She'd been thrashing around in the covers, begging not to be left alone and crying helplessly in her sleep.

She must have been dreaming about what had happened. But he wasn't going to make her talk about it when she clearly wasn't up for it. All she needed right then was his arms around her, holding her tight, and the knowledge that he wasn't going anywhere.

And her cries were fierce, and terrible. The nightmare must have been bad, whatever it was.

She was crying too hard to register C.C. jolting upright by her side – the commotion had awakened her too.

"Oh, sweetie!" she cried, holding her daughter with her husband. "It's all okay! You're here, with us! You're at home, you're safe..."

Niles couldn't help but think about how much C.C. sounded like she was trying to reassure herself, as well as Amelia. He knew his wife felt it was her fault, just like he felt it was his, but the horrors they'd imagined in their heads when they'd found her room empty weren't true.

They were never coming true. Amelia was there, with them, and they needed to talk everything over so that they could move on from this.

"Sh, Mia, everything is alright," Niles cooed, stroking her hair. "We are all here – even your little Bananas!"

At the mention of its name, Amelia instinctively groped for the stuffed animal and brought him close to her. The soft flannel provided some sense of peace which, eventually, combined with the feeling of her parents' arms around her, Amelia began to calm down. She nestled in her father's embrace, whimpering still. Clearly, crying out her fears and not being alone was doing wonders for her.

Her parents suspected her horrendous nightmare was a direct result of her fever – and, speaking of which, Niles noticed the girl was running a fever again! Her head was awfully warm, which explained the nightmare, in a certain sense.

He'd have to get a cloth for her head. They couldn't just let it continue without doing anything about it.

"You're feeling awfully warm, sweetheart," he murmured, rubbing his little girl's back. "I'm going to get a wet cloth for your head. Cuddle with Mommy and Bananas, and I'll be right back."

He helped her turn around, and get her arms around C.C.'s neck, seeing that they were both settled and comfortable, with Bananas in Amelia's lap, before getting up to go to the bathroom.

He wasn't gone long. He brought a cool, damp cloth back very soon, not wanting to leave Amelia even if she was with C.C...

The crying really had been terrible, and it made being away from her hurt him, badly. He'd never heard anyone cry for their parents in such a distraught manner; like she was being taken away from them, or they from her.

It was almost like her fears could get her, even when they couldn't protect her. No amount of reassurance could take away the fear from a nightmare that had already happened. But they could try their hardest to make sure that she didn't have any more.

She was nestled against her mother when he returned, and he retook his seat, starting to dab at her forehead with the cloth.

Together, they manoeuvred her little body so it would rest comfortably against the pillows, and while C.C. tucked her up, Niles began dabbing at Amelia's forehead. Bananas snuggled against her side, in the space between her upper side and her arm.

She still had some tears running down her cheeks, and C.C. did her best to brush them away. She was truly worried about what had happened inside this terrible nightmare – clearly, from what both she and Niles had been able to hear, it had to do with them, and consequently, with her escape.

She was deeply affected by it, and so were them. They needed to reassure her – to make her feel everything was going to be just fine. To make her understand just how much they loved her.

Granted, this nightmare was probably a result of her feverish state, but it still reflected her deepest and darkest fears.

"I'll get you another Advil, sweetie," Niles said, handing C.C. the cold cloth so she could continue dabbing at her forehead. "Do you need anything else?"

Amelia nodded weakly, groaning as C.C. pressed the cold cloth against her heated forehead.

"I'm hungry..." Amelia mumbled, instinctively edging closer to her mother. She was still upset about what had happened in her dream, but her unwell state was overwhelming. Having her parents with her was a relief, but the anguish and the fear were still squeezing her heart.

Niles nodded, "Alright, then. I'll bring you something to eat as well. I won't be long."

He couldn't help but take it as a clear good sign, the fact that Amelia wanted to eat. She'd barely touched anything since they'd found her, and she'd need the energy that something good and nutritious could provide.

So instead of going to the bathroom cabinet straight away, he took a detour downstairs to the kitchen, thinking about what he could make his little girl to show her that everything was going to be alright, and that would help her to get better.

He began to put together a tray, and on it he placed a selection of items - a small bowl of grapes, some sandwiches cut into triangles, carrot sticks, a yogurt and spoon, and a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

The last item didn't really fit with the rest, but Amelia deserved to know that she was appreciated. And anything on the tray that she didn't eat, Niles was sure he and C.C. could help her finish.

After placing the final finishing touch of a glass of water on the tray, he carried it carefully upstairs, stopping quickly in the bathroom to fetch the Advil from the cabinet behind the mirror. Once he was back inside the room, he placed the tray in front of his daughter.

"Alright, sweetie," Niles said, carefully setting the glass of water in Amelia's hands. "Time to take your medicine."

The girl nodded and opened her mouth, letting her father put the small pill in it before gulping it down. She handed him back the glass, which was promptly laid on the bedside table, and snuggled in bed as she scanned the tray before her. She chose to grab a few grapes and slowly munched on them, her parents sitting by her side and stroking her hair.

"Sweetheart?" C.C. eventually said. "Would you like to talk about that bad dream you had?"

Amelia seemed to carefully ponder over her mother's suggestion, and she eventually nodded. She knew it would be better to let them know – her Mommy and Daddy were there to help, and it had just been a bad dream, after all.

"Okay, Mommy," Amelia said. "But could you hug me while I talk?"

Niles and C.C. exchanged a quick, worried look and both of them nodded.

"Of course, sweetheart!" Niles said, moving closer to his child and wrapping an arm around Amelia's shoulders. "We are here for you."

C.C. imitated her husband and snuggled against her child, using one of her hands to stroke Amelia's cheek. "We promise."

Amelia swallowed her grapes heavily, choosing to finish them before she began just in case she decided that telling them made her not want the food anymore.

She took in a breath, and began.

"I...I dreamed that no one came to get me when I ran away," she started, feeling the tears starting up again already. "I was gone for a long time. I was hungry, and cold, and lost. My clothes were all full of holes, and I needed a bath and wanted to sleep..."

It was hurting her parents already to have to listen to her talk like this, but she had to let it out. They had to let her continue.

Niles secured his arm around her even more than he already had, "Go on, sweetheart..."

Amelia gulped, and nodded, taking in a shaky breath before continuing.

"But...but then I saw here again. I'd...I'd come back, and I went to the door to be let in, but no one came...! And then I looked in the window, and I saw you...saw you with the twins, and there were no pictures of me on the wall, and you were playing with the twins and talking about how much you loved your two good children. You'd forgotten me, and I banged on the window to be let in, but you didn't hear me, and then you went upstairs and left me behind...!"

By this stage in her story, Amelia was back to sobbing again.

She simply couldn't stop... the anguish and the pain and the fear that she'd experienced in her dream were coming back to her, and it made her feel like she was being repeatedly punched. If she closed her eyes, she could still see the image of her parents playing with her siblings, and her standing in the rain, banging on the window and not being heard...

It had been a terrible dream, and although she knew that it wasn't real, she couldn't help the anguish. The mere idea of her parents forgetting her, even if it had been a dream, was enough to reduce her to a crying mess.

"And I... I kept banging on the window as you left... and then... and then I woke up..." Amelia sobbed, holding onto Niles. She needed to have him close... to have her father with her.

She had gone through an ordeal the previous afternoon, and it seemed that she couldn't even have some peace in her dreams – the only place where she was supposed to be safe from her fears viciously assaulting her with no mercy or forgiveness.

"I... I was so afraid..." Amelia continued. "And I felt so cold and so alone... I just... I'm sorry..." she blurted out – she hadn't said sorry for running away, and for some reason she felt compelled to do so right then.

"Oh, sweetheart, you don't have to be sorry!" Niles cried, resting his cheek on the top of his daughter's head. "It's all alright...! What matters most is that you're safe! The dream wasn't real, you're here with us, and we promise that isn't going to change."

Amelia sniffed, "You really mean it?"

"Of course we do, sweetie," C.C. was nearly in tears herself. "You're our little girl, we love you! We'd never forget about you!"

"You wouldn't?" Amelia's voice sounded smaller than ever.

That pained them even more – the idea that their own daughter needed reassurance to believe that they loved her enough to not forget about her. They adored her more than anything, and the idea of her not believing them was almost too much.

"Of course not!" Niles wanted the power to reach inside her and remove all the fears straight from the source. The horrible, hideous source that had made her feel unwanted, unloved, a source of disappointment to be forgotten about. "If anything had happened to you, we'd never have forgiven ourselves! We wouldn't have taken away your pictures and forgotten about you! Not a day would have gone by when we didn't think of you, looked for you, cried for you...! We'd never have been happy again!"

And it was true. If they hadn't found their daughter, the world would have been absolutely meaningless – it would have adopted a greyish hue; it would have been dark and empty, because their baby girl wouldn't have been there with them.

She was their life, and there wasn't a chance in hell that they'd ever forget about her. Yes, they were enlarging the family, but Amelia would always be their precious little girl – the little being to whom they owed more than words could express.

They were a family, and families stayed together.

"We swear, Mia, that would have never happened!" C.C. insisted, leaning down to plant a kiss on Amelia's (still warm) forehead. "You have nothing to fear, sweetheart – it was only a bad dream, okay?"

Amelia's cries worsened. The feeling of being reassured by her parents was almost like having a splinter taken out of her skin. Almost as if her pain had been buried deep within her for so long and was only now being removed. The process was painful, but it was necessary.

She knew this was where she belonged. That her parents would always be there for her...

They'd only had a couple of rough months, that's all.

"I... I love you, Mommy," Amelia choked out before looking up at her father. "And I love you, Daddy..."

"And we love you, Mia," Niles also pressed a kiss to her forehead. "More than words can say. So there is no need to be afraid, no matter what anyone says, or what horrible fears and nightmares are telling you, alright?"

Amelia nodded, understanding. Her Mommy and Daddy really wouldn't abandon her. They promised. And they loved her just as much as they loved the twins...

Sophia had been wrong. Her nightmares had been wrong, too.

They were going to be okay.

"Okay, Daddy," she said, sniffing. "I'll be okay now. And...and I'll say sorry to Sophia when I go to school."

"You don't have to worry about that just for now; you'll be off school so you can rest for a while," Niles' words were reassuring. "What you need to do is make sure you get better. Then we'll see about talking to Sophia."

He lifted the mug of – luckily still warm – hot chocolate, and gave it to her.

"Here, drink up," he said. "A little something sweet for the sweetest little girl."

Amelia took the drink, and took a gulp of it. Warm hot chocolate, with as many marshmallows as her Daddy could fit in the cup. It actually made her feel a little more hungry, and she put the mug down to try one of the sandwiches.

Her parents watched her eat, feeling more relieved now that she was starting to relax. C.C. then plumped the pillows up behind Amelia some more as she had her fill of the food that Niles had prepared.

And eat her fill, she did. The bowl of grapes was empty, two of the sandwiches were gone, and so were half the carrot sticks by the time she decided she'd had enough, and had leaned herself back against the pillows again.

The fever was starting to break, it seemed. But it would be nice to keep her off school for another couple of days after that.

They'd probably say it was just in case, but really they knew that they could all do with some family time.

Family time that they intended to start right then and there.

So, placing the tray to one side and helping his wife to lie down, Niles brought his own legs fully up onto the bed and they cuddled up with their daughter, falling asleep not long after that. They were all exhausted, emotionally speaking, and a good, dreamless sleep was exactly what at least one of them needed.

Niles was the first of the family to stir the next morning. It wasn't really surprising, considering the fact that his usual day required being up almost at the crack of dawn in order to complete his usual routine, and also because of the shrilling sound of the bell echoing through the mansion. Who on Earth had come to visit this early?

He'd planned to stay home with his wife and daughter, both of whom were still sound asleep, but it seemed that someone else´s plans also included spending some time with them!

But speaking of C.C. and Amelia, Nile chose to take a moment as his waking mind fully came to him to admire the view. His wife, glowing with health and round with twins. His daughter, comfortably sprawled over his chest and with her old toy monkey tucked under her arm. _His family_. There was no finer sight in the entire world, as far as he was concerned.

And it hurt him beyond words to think that there had almost been a tiny gap where his Amelia lay. Everything he'd said before to her was true – he knew for a fact he would never be happy again if she hadn't come back to them.

They'd have searched for her every day, even if it took them the rest of their lives.

Wrapping one arm around Amelia's small frame, he managed to sit upright, cradling her against his chest as he went to prevent her from being launched onto the bed. He had to lay her down again, though, next to her mother, who was still asleep. Throwing on his dressing gown and shoving his feet in his slippers, he made his way out onto the landing, and then downstairs to the door.

And he was immediately (and entirely) woken by the sight of Stewart and B.B. stood on the other side of the door. B.B. appeared to be trying to push her way in, but her ex-husband was trying his hardest to hold her back.

"Where is she? Where is Amelia?!" the woman sounded distraught, and suddenly Niles understood the frantic, desperate ringing of the doorbell.

"She's asleep, upstairs," Niles stepped aside to allow C.C.'s parents to come inside. "And so is C.C.."

This was said in order to give her an incentive to be quiet, and when she began to head for the stairs, Stewart held her back again.

"Perhaps we should at least wait until C.C. is awake, B.B.," he suggested. "We know she's up there and that she's fine; we don't have to rush."

B.B. hesitated, as though unsure of herself. It was like she wanted to refuse to listen to Stewart and go up anyway, but some part of her was thinking that he might have a point. After all, Niles had seemed surprised to see them – C.C. must have forgotten to tell him that they were on their way, so all of this must have seemed like a rather large intrusion...

Perhaps if they stayed downstairs for a few more moments, just to clear things up. Yes, that would be for the best.

"Perhaps you're right, Stewart. After all, it is only..." B.B. checked her watch. "Seven forty-five..."

She turned to Niles.

"Did C.C. forget to tell you we were coming?"

Niles could only shrug in return, "I suppose she must have. Yesterday was, after all, somewhat stressful..."

Both older Babcocks exchanged a look and nodded. Things like that were bound to be less important, after what had happened. They'd be interested to get the full story, too. But that would probably require both parents awake and present.

"Niles...was that the door?" called a sleepy voice from upstairs, and soon C.C. appeared in the doorway of their bedroom, still in her pyjamas. She smiled when she saw her parents. "Oh. Hello, Mother; hi, Daddy..."

Stewart waved back at her, "Hey, Kitten. Did we wake you? Coming later would probably have been better, huh?"

"It's completely fine!" C.C. waved a dismissive hand at them. She'd supposedly they'd come early considering what had happened, and it wasn't like they had intruded in the middle of the night! "You can come up if you want, Amelia is awake, too."

C.C. looked over her shoulder and glanced at her girl. Amelia was still a bit feverish, but she wasn't as hot as she was the night before.

"She is?" Niles asked, bringing C.C.'s attention back to him. "Then I'll prepare you both some breakfast," the butler said and turned for the kitchen, ready to start their breakfast in the blink of an eye. But just before he left, he seemed to have a second thought.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked B.B. and Stewart.

"Coffee will do," B.B. said, turning for the staircase. "Black and with no sugar!"

"Just like your soul," Stewart muttered, earning himself a glare from the older socialite.

Niles and C.C. had to bite back a laugh.

"And what about you, Daddy?" C.C. asked, eyeing the rather large light-pink box that Stewart was holding. It seemed the man had bought something for Amelia. "Can Niles get you anything?"

"Not at all, thank you," he said gently as he began climbing the stairs. He had the most curious of smiles on his face – a grin worthy of the Cheshire cat, she reckoned – clearly quite pleased with the gift he'd chosen.

C.C. refrained from asking what was in the box; her father loved surprises.

"Okay, then," C.C. replied, amused. "Do you really need to go up now, or-"

Stewart paused, his smile growing on his face. He then turned, and walked back down, seeming to check on the box and its contents as he went. There were a number of holes in the box, and he looked like he was peering into one...

"Actually..." he began thoughtfully.

Then his head snapped up and he looked at them.

"Let's wait until Niles brings the breakfast," the older man seated himself carefully, so as not to shake the box. "He's probably going to want to see this as well, and it's best that he puts the tray down beforehand!"

Well, that just made whatever her father had in mind all the more intriguing and mysterious.

So, they took their seats and waited. Niles' cooking seemed to take forever, but eventually there was a tray ready for them to take upstairs so that the couple could eat breakfast with their daughter. And their daughter could then open her surprise, which had been making a lot of odd noises, especially when Niles had been preparing the food...

On the stairs, Niles carried the tray, B.B. assisted C.C., and Stewart carried the box. If either parent had looked back properly, they would have sworn that the box shook when it went up. But they couldn't say for sure, because they were more occupied with other matters.

Amelia was awake when they went in, but only just, and she was snuggled up underneath the covers, resting against the pillows that C.C. had piled up behind her before coming downstairs. She turned towards the door when she heard footsteps coming near. A beaming (if tired) smile made its way across the girl's face, and she slowly sat up to greet her visitors.

"Grandpa! Grandmamma!" the girl exclaimed, her voice thick with sleep and slightly hoarse due to her cold.

"Hi, darling!" B.B. said, perching on the side of the bed and stroking Amelia's hair. "How are you feeling today?"

Amelia grimaced. She felt… _sickly_... and her whole body ached. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a cold, but she certainly didn't recall that they could be _this_ unpleasant!

"I am okay... just a little bit tired," Amelia leaned back against the pillows, letting her father place the tray on her lap.

"Thank you, Daddy," Amelia said, giving Niles a kiss on the cheek.

Niles smiled down at her, "It was my pleasure."

Amelia returned his smile, but her attention was suddenly caught by the mysterious – and shaking? – box her grandfather had placed on the bed.

"What is that, grandpa?" Amelia asked, peering over the rim of her cup with interest.

"Why don't you find out yourself?" Stewart retorted. "We are all curious to see!"

And it was true... Niles, C.C. and B.B. simply couldn't guess what was in the box, and it was killing them!

"Alright!" the girl giggled, laying her mug back on the tray before using one hand to take off the lid.

Niles had to take the tray out of the way immediately, because a tiny, fawn ball of fur launched itself at Amelia, yapping and licking.

"A puppy!" the little girl cried, giggling as the tiny nose and tongue poked and lapped at her face.

Indeed it was – a tiny pug, with a little squished face and a curly tail.

Amelia stroked and rubbed its back, and the little puppy revelled in the attention, as the adults around the room looked at Stewart. Niles and C.C. were more than a little incredulous.

"A _puppy_ , Daddy?" C.C. asked.

Stewart grinned, looking back and forth between them and where Amelia was continuing to fawn over the dog.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed. "I thought it would be nice if Amelia got to experience looking after something by herself. And when I saw this little guy, I knew he was perfect! Whaddya think? A little ball of fur that'll love her no matter what..."

Love her no matter what...

C.C. and Niles looked at each other, and then down towards where the puppy had curled itself up on Amelia's lap. The girl stared down at it adoringly, scratching its ear. They did want so much to prove that she was loved, and appreciated...maybe it wasn't such a bad idea, letting her keep the dog. Taking something away that she clearly adored would crush her, and probably make her question if they loved her or not again.

And that was the last thing they wanted.

"Well…" C.C. cocked her head slightly to one side and gave the dog a look. He really was adorable, and if it made Mia happy… "I think we should ask Mia! After all, it is her dog, isn't it?"

Mia´s little face brightened. "Really?! Can I keep him?"

Niles and C.C. exchanged an amused – if slightly resigned – look and nodded.

"Yes you can, Little One," said Niles, perching on the side of the bed and rubbing the little dog's head. "But only if you promise to be responsible for him."

"Exactly," Stewart piped up, resting one hand on each side of his hips. "This puppy is both a gift and a responsibility, Mia. You have to take care of him, like your Mommy and Daddy take care of you."

"Alright!" Mia said, but Stewart was not finished.

"And, perhaps, now you'll understand just how afraid and sad they were when you ran away…"

There was a reproachful edge to his voice, and the way he was looking at her hinted just what he thought about his granddaughter's escape. He wasn't going to snap at the girl or give her an earful, but he did want her to, at least, begin to comprehend just how desperate and worried her actions had made her parent. He wanted her to understand that, despite the twins, nothing was going to change, especially not the love that they all had for her.

Amelia couldn't help but cast her eyes downwards, shame hanging heavy over her and making itself known on her delicate features. Her hazel locks fell over her face like a curtain, and her bright blue eyes were stuck to her duvet-covered lap.

"Would you stop loving your puppy if I got you another one?" Stewart asked, coming closer to the girl.

"… No…" Mia muttered.

"Then, if you wouldn't stop loving your puppy – which, I must add, is adopted – do you think any of us would love you any less because of the twins?"

A heavy silence followed Stewart's words; part of C.C. longed to reach out for her daughter and comfort her – she was young after all, and her escape (although wrong) had been the result of months of tension and hidden fears – but she knew it wouldn't do her any good, so she stayed back and allowed her father to get his point across. Granted, usually the arrival of a new sibling (or two, in this case) didn't entail so many problems, but Amelia´s fears and the dread of being forgotten were not only a result of the twins' arrival on its own but also of having been adopted by her father after having been fatherless for years; the child was still absolutely terrified of going back to not having a daddy, especially when part of her had also feared that, this time, her mother wouldn't be there for her, either.

"…No…" Mia eventually choked out – it was evident that she was crying.

"Then," Stewart said, softening his tone and gently coming to wrap his arms around his grandchild. "You have nothing to fear, sweetheart! Your Mommy and Daddy love you very much and so do we! And we are sure your brother and sister will love you as well; you just need to trust us on this."

The older man tipped Mia´s face to him and gave her a gentle smile. "Do you trust us, Sparky?"

The girl nodded again, and she burrowed in her grandfather's embrace. "I do…"

"Wonderful!" Stewart said, reaching out for the puppy and bringing it to Amelia. The little animal began to lick her tears, and this caused the girl to giggle.

It was nice to hear her laugh.

"He is funny," the girl said in between chuckles.

"Yes, and he also needs a name," Niles added, trying to distend the slightly tense atmosphere. "How should we call him?"

"Maybe Buddy?"

Nearly everybody pulled a face at C.C.'s rather lame suggestion.

"No! That name is so… _mainstream_ ," B.B. said, wrinkling her nose. "We should name her-"

" _Him_ ," Stewart corrected her.

"Him, her whatever… it's the same," B.B. said, waving a dismissive hand. "… we should name him after a Greek god!"

Amelia looked between her grandmother and the puppy. The latter looked more like a potato with legs than like a mighty and powerful Greek god!

"What about Winston?" Niles suddenly piped up. There was something about the pup's roguish, little face that reminded him of the fiery Prime Minister.

But of course that Amelia didn't really know who he was – the name however, had a nice ring to it!

"I like it," said Amelia, and all the adult just knew the matter was settled.

"Winston it is, then," Stewart laughed and ruffled the little girl's hair, making her laugh again. "Well, now that he has a name we can officially say: welcome to the family, Winston!"

Something about her grandfather's words caught Amelia's attention. Indeed, now that the dog had a name he was part of the family! But what about the twins? Did they have a name? They'd need one, obviously, especially seeing as they already were part of their family.

"And what about my brother and sister?" she questioned. "Do they have names too?"

Her query took Niles and C.C. by surprise. Considering what had been going on with Mia recently, they hadn't really taken their time to choose their children's names – they had a few ideas, not to get them wrong, but nothing was set in stone yet. Why did she want to know?

"They don't have names yet, sweetie," C.C. said. "We still have to choose them."

"Can I help?"

Niles and C.C.'s eyes widened. She wanted to help?

"I mean… I thought about all of what you guys said and I wanna welcome them to the family. Maybe if we choose a name together I can do that!"

And it was almost as though someone had just hit them square in the chest – but it wasn't a painful blow, it was a good blow. An overwhelmingly happy surprise! Almost as if the relief and happiness caused by Amelia explicitly saying she wanted to accept her siblings was a sort of blessed surprise.

To be fair, it kind of was.

She wanted to try to accept the twins! She was really trying! And that brought no small amount of relief to them.

"That might be an idea," Niles said, taking out a small notepad from his night table alongside with a pen. "We are all here, so why not name the twins together!"

C.C. smiled – that truly sounded like a plan.

And as she observed the excitement in her daughter's face – a joy and an excitement that she hadn't seen in far too long – she began to feel that, finally, every little thing was going right on track once again.


	27. Chapter 27

**_Chapter 26_**

There were two moments of the day that Niles adored – evenings and mornings. The latter usually offered the opportunity to pamper both his pregnant wife and his first child with a tasty and elaborate breakfast in bed, while the former was the perfect opportunity to lounge in the sofa and watch a movie together before going to bed.

He'd always prepare some popcorn or a tea (depending on their mood) and then take it to the sofa, where Amelia and C.C. would usually await for him.

But as they'd neared C.C.'s due date, going up and down the stairs had become a bit of a strain for the blonde woman; as such, they had simply decided to move their movie night venue upstairs so that C.C. could rest comfortably in bed.

They had chosen to watch "Charlotte's Web" that night, and Niles was still in the middle of preparing the tray to take upstairs. C.C. had been suffering from strong back pains since the previous night, and as a consequence, she hadn't been in the mood to eat that day.

It was a blessing that she'd finally asked for something to eat – scrambled eggs with toast – and although the time was a little odd to eat that, the butler was willing to grant her any carving she had.

He'd been so worried about there being something wrong with the babies... but insisting on going to the hospital had been useless. C.C. had refused to even move from the bed, claiming that he was a worrywart and that she just needed to rest. Besides, back pains had been a constant in both of her pregnancies, and considering her age and that the pregnancy was labelled as "high risk", she wasn't really worried about yet another strong back pain.

It was the duration of it what had worried Niles, though... she'd been in constant pain for hours now.

He had suggested she could already be in labour, even if her water hadn't broken, but C.C. had quickly dismissed his suggestion. She'd had a long delivery when she'd given birth to Amelia, and it had only started after her water had broken, so she expected the same to happen this time, too.

He was only moments away from going back upstairs when he heard a set of footsteps rushing down the stairs. Turning his head, Niles found Amelia.

Niles' brow furrowed in confusion – the girl was wearing her pyjamas, as usual, but why had she put on her shoes?

"Daddy," the girl ran to him and he caught her in his arms. "Mommy needs help."

"What kind of help, sweetheart?" he asked – probably C.C. had gotten stuck in bed again and needed to use the toilet.

"Well... she said something about her water breaking and that she needs you _now_ ," she said, emphasising the word "now".

Oh, God.

Oh dear God...

He'd been right! C.C. was in... C.C. was in labour!

Niles immediately set his little girl down and hurried to the bedroom with her, where they found C.C. struggling to get out of the bed. Niles went to her side, helping her up, and turning to look at their daughter as he did.

"Mia, sweetheart, go get your coat from your room," he tried to keep his voice as calm as he could. There was no sense in making her worry. "We're going to have to take Mommy to the place where we'll meet your brother and sister!"

Amelia's eyes lit up with excitement, "Really, Daddy?!"

"That's right, sweetie," C.C. hid her groan of agony behind a smile for their little girl. "And we're gonna have to be very quick, so do as Daddy says and grab your coat...!"

Their daughter nodded in reply, "Okay, Mommy!"

She dashed off towards her room, and Niles began to help C.C. grab her things to take to the birthing centre. All it would take would be a phone call from downstairs to let the place know that they were on their way, and everything would be taken care of from there. It was efficient, extremely high quality care, and pricier than most ordinary people could afford. But they weren't ordinary people, and even if they were, Niles knew he would still be one of those fathers who insisted that their wife and children deserved nothing but the best.

He hadn't been around to ensure Amelia's birth was as comfortable and as relaxed as it could have been, but he wasn't planning on making that mistake again with the twins. The fixation of ensuring a tranquil birth had been the reason behind him scavenging for the best birthing centre in Manhattan, and they had also paid for the best room.

He hadn't seen it yet, but he knew the facilities and the equipment were the best and most modern in the world.

Niles helped C.C. into a pair of clean pyjamas and put on her shoes for her – her belly was so big she couldn't do it by herself – so by the time Amelia came back, dressed and ready to go, Niles was ready to wrap an arm around C.C.'s waist and begin guiding her towards the family car.

He allowed Amelia to buckle her seatbelt as he took care of C.C.'s, and once they were ready, Niles sped off towards the birthing centre.

If Amelia hadn't been in the car with them, C.C. would have screamed abuse at Niles during the whole car ride, but lucky for the butler, C.C. had to hold her tongue.

The staff were already waiting for them when Niles, C.C. and Amelia made it to the front desk, and the family was herded to it. Of course they made sure to put C.C. in a wheelchair first, and Amelia had taken the opportunity to climb onto her mother's lap and snuggle by her side.

"Mommy, I love you," Amelia muttered. The girl knew her Mommy was in pain, even if she was good at hiding it.

"And so do I, Little One," she replied. She still remembered the fear of her first delivery – she had been alone, had barely recovered from a mental breakdown and was facing the prospect of being single mother – but ultimately, everything had fallen into place.

Not only was she married to a wonderful man and was expecting his babies, but he had also become a father to her little girl. Amelia. Her reason of being and one of the lights in her life.

Life was truly wonderful.

Eventually, they reached to the birthing room, and the three Brightmores couldn't help but gape.

The entire place was magnificent. It appeared to be just as much a hotel suite as a hospital room! It was warmly coloured, and the bed was comfortable-looking, nothing like an apparently sterile hospital bed with raised sides and machines surrounding it...no, this looked like a bed in anyone's home.

Of course it had usual hospital things, like privacy curtains and a sink, as well as hospital cribs for the new little arrivals, but that was almost beside the point when taking into account the ginormous bathtub just around the corner.

Another groan from C.C. brought them back to reality, and Niles brought his wife over to her bed, helping her to get comfortable as Amelia continued to wander around the room in awe.

C.C. took advantage of their daughter's distraction to hiss at him, "This is all _your_ fault!"

Niles seated himself on the bed next to her and gripped at her hand, only able to nod along with what she was saying.

"I know, love."

He wasn't going to argue with her over this, especially seeing as it had been his idea to give her a massage that night.

He didn't regret it at all, either.

He just hoped that the twins would get there soon. He couldn't wait to be a father all over again. Because that's what he was, even if he hadn't been for the first part of his eldest daughter's life.

They were going to be a family, and nothing would break them apart.

Well... maybe a few things (namely, his fingers) would be breaking that night, but certainly not their family.

"This is a super beautiful room, Mommy!" Amelia exclaimed, climbing onto the hospital bed. She had no notion of how pained her mother was (although she had noticed she wasn't completely fine).

"I know, sweetie," the older woman said, trying not to groan. "Daddy made sure to get us the prettiest room."

"Indeed – you deserve nothing but the best, love," he leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead, making Amelia giggle as C.C. rolled her eyes. She so wanted to kill him right then, but at the same time he was her favourite idiot, and she wouldn't change him for anything.

"Smooth talker," C.C. muttered, clutching at her stomach as another contraction coursed her body. "Better use that mouth to get me an epidural!" C.C. snarled.

"At your orders, milady," Niles hopped off the bed and wandered over to where a nurse stood; the latter was preparing an IV line for C.C.. "Excuse me bu-"

"We'll give her one in just a moment, Mr Brightmore," the nurse interrupted him, having heard what C.C. wanted. "We just need to hook your wife up to a heart rate monitor and this IV here. Once we are done with that, we'll give it to her."

"Then move faster you mi-"

"C.C.," Niles cut her off, sensing his wife was about to cuss at the poor nurse. His wife looked up at him and he discretely gestured towards Amelia with his head.

The blonde huffed. She missed being able to scream at the nurses – it had been her pastime when she had been in labour with Amelia. Well, now she had to be careful. She'd had no one to swear at in the room before, but having a husband changed all of that.

It changed plenty of other things as well. She no longer felt scared because of the uncertainty (although that had also come with the experience of having had a child before). She no longer wondered who would take care of the children if anything happened to her. She no longer felt like someone was missing in the room.

It's because he wasn't missing from the room. He was right there, having come back into the room after speaking with the nurse. He was holding her hand and reassuring her that the drugs she was waiting on were on their way.

She just wished it had been him the first time around, too. Not that that mattered – Amelia was his daughter, biology be damned. It wasn't going to split her family. Not on her watch.

She braced herself for another contraction. She could feel it building. Niles braced himself – she could feel him preparing, too. He wasn't going to be in as much pain as she was, and he knew it. But they were going to get through it, they were going to endure it, together.

Just how a married couple should.

"Jesus Christ!" C.C. cried out, a few tears pricking at the corners of her eyes and making their way down her cheeks. This pain... this pain was new! Not to get her wrong, her labour pains had been excruciating with Amelia, too, but the intensity of this ones... they were unparalleled. She hadn't expected to not feel pain, but there was something wrong... she could feel it.

Niles could only hold her hand and try to reassure her, but it tore at him to see her in so much pain. They'd wanted these babies, but part of him felt guilty for having put her in this position in the first place.

"It's okay, love... I am here... I am here..." he stroked her hair and kissed the back of her hand as the nurse went about her business and connected her to the different machines.

"All set!" the nurse exclaimed. "Now you'll just have to wait for your doctor to arrive. Meanwhile, I'll see that you get your epidural, okay?"

C.C. shook her head yes – as much as the pain allowed her to, in any case. She hadn't been in this much pain when Amelia had been born...

So why was it happening now?

As the minutes passed and contractions came one after the other, C.C. began to cry in earnest. The pain... it was something she hadn't felt before...

It was building faster than she could do anything about, and something in her innermost being simply knew there was something wrong...

But through the pain and the worry, she caught a glimpse of her eldest child. Neither she nor Niles had noticed, but at some point she had gotten out of bed and had curled up in a little ball on the arm chair at the other end of the room. She was scared... and it figured! C.C. was in too much pain and she couldn't hide it even if she tried.

But it hurt her inside, too, to see Amelia so afraid. She didn't know what was going on; not really. All she knew was that her Mommy was having her little brother and sister right then and that it was putting her in pain. She hated it when Amelia was suffering – it was like a part of herself was being crushed. The worst part was that she didn't know what to do about it. She was there, in the middle of giving birth, and she couldn't exactly go to her child, no matter how much she wanted to. And it was at that moment, just as she was about to try and call out to her daughter, to reassure her in whatever way she could that she was fine, that the doctor showed up.

"Hello there, Mrs Brightmore, good to see you again" he flipped over a page on what she assumed was her chart as he approached the bed. "How are we feeling right now?"

"Not great," she replied. It was the truth – a severe underestimation of the truth, but the truth nonetheless.

"Well, that is perfectly natural," the doctor continued, going to the end of the bed and preparing to take a look. "Why don't we have a look and see what's going on, that way we can decide how best to move forward..."

"Wait," C.C. said, glancing at Amelia. She didn't want her to see any of this. "Doctor..."

"Smith," the man offered with a kind smile.

"Smith…" C.C. repeated before addressing her husband. "Niles, please get Amelia out of the room for a moment, I don't want her to see..."

"There is a play area in this floor," the doctor interrupted, acknowledging C.C.' worries. "If you want, we can get a nurse to take her there until things are more calmed."

The option sounded perfect, honestly. The less Amelia saw her in pain, the better. Both parents exchanged a look and Niles briefly left C.C.'s side to get his daughter; she had sat on C.C.'s chair, and still had her face hidden in her arms.

"Sweetie?" Niles said softly, placing a hand on Amelia's back. "I know this is not nice, so would you like to go to the play area for a little while?"

Amelia looked up at Niles and permitted him to lift her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked over at her mother.

"Will Mommy be okay?"

"I promise I will, sweetie, you go have fun," C.C. tried to reassure her, even if the pain was splitting her in half.

"She will be, I'll make sure of that," Dr Smith said, noticing the girl's reluctance.

The obstetrician's words seemed to convince Amelia – after all, medics made people better, right?

"Okay..." the girl squeaked as Niles took her to her mother's bed. "Bye Mommy, I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart," C.C. said. "Now go have fun!"

And so, Niles took Amelia to the play area – her father knew she'd refused to go with a nurse. After he had assured to her that, yes, everything would be just fine a good five times, he quickly returned to the room, anxious to hear what the doctor had to say. He honestly hoped that everything was alright with his wife and babies...

As he stepped back into the room, he found his wife lying down on her bed and with her hospital gown lifted. The doctor was performing an ultrasound on her. He looked worried... and C.C. was on the verge of tears, too!

What was going on?

"Hm, as I suspected," Smith said gravely. "One of your twins is breeched," he turned to look back at C.C., a concerned look on his face. "Mrs Brightmore, considering your dilation is nearly complete – which is not uncommon considering second-time mothers dilate much faster than first time mothers – I'd say we have to get you ready to deliver. It won't be long now. This means two bad news – one, there is no time for an epidural; and two, there is a possibility of having to perform a C-section on you if the breeched baby is in distress."

C.C.'s breath left her in a single, fearful cry. No epidural, immediate delivery of one baby, and the C-section of the other...

It wasn't quite enough that Niles had heard everything, and was back by her side again. But at the same time, what else could they do? It was the doctor's recommendation. She'd have to go through it. And the C-section was a failsafe. It was only a possibility, and if it was needed because one of the twins was in distress, then...well, what could they do?

She'd have to put up with it. For the sake of her children. For the sake of her husband, and the daughter who was already up and walking around, waiting for her Mommy to have her little brother and sister and tell her that everything was okay and that they were going home now.

She wanted to be at home. She wanted her babies out of her, and she wanted to be back in her living room, with one twin tucked in each arm, Amelia curled up by her side with the dog asleep on her feet, and Niles' arm around her shoulders and his lips on her cheek.

But there was only one way to make that happen; get through this.

She nodded at the doctor's words, "Okay. Just tell me when to start!"

Niles almost couldn't believe how brave his wife was being. She was truly doing what she did best – putting her head down (metaphorically speaking) and making the best of an overwhelmingly terrifying situation. They both knew the doctor was going to do his best for her and for their children; all it was going to take was for her to be strong.

And if there was one thing C.C. knew how to be, it was strong.

It simply amazed him that she'd actually gone through another delivery on her own... granted, it hadn't been as complicated as this one, but it helped put things in perspective. She was a strong, beautiful woman, and she'd overcome this. And he'd be by her side at all times, no matter what.

"Very well," Dr Smith said, cleaning the gel he'd applied from C.C.'s belly and finally letting her "relax" – as much as the situation permitted, of course. "You are eight centimetres dilated, so it shouldn't be long considering how fast you've dilated up to now. The nurses will come to help you get settled, alright?"

"Alright," C.C. whimpered, closing her eyes tightly shut. Another contraction was hitting her, and the pain was searing; so much so that she shed a few tears.

"Excellent. Do you know where would you like to give birth?"

"In the birthing chair," C.C. said, gritting her teeth. She had thought long and hard, and after her experience with Amelia, she didn't want to give birth in bed again. Seeing as she might need to be rushed to the surgery room, that discarded the possibility of a birth in the battub (like she had wanted). "I want to give birth there... holy Jesus!" C.C. screamed as a sudden second contraction overtook her.

"I know it hurts, Mrs Brightmore, but it will be over soon. Once you are settled in your chair try to focus on your breathing, and if you need to push, I'll ask you to tell us right away, okay?"

C.C. wanted to tell Smith to fuck off – he didn't know what she was feeling; the pain she was going through! – but another part of her knew he was doing his best. She had to keep a level head and wish that things went just fine.

"Okay," C.C. replied.

"Good. I will call for the nurses now," Smith said and left the room for a few moments.

As soon as they were left alone, C.C. wrapped her arms around Niles' neck and wept.

"I hate you..." she snarled, burying her face in the crook of her neck.

And Niles almost agreed with her. He hated himself for putting her in this position in the first place! Of course, he knew it wasn't really his fault for them having twins, or that something like this had happened. But he still couldn't help blaming himself - whether that was for wanting more children, or for something else entirely, he didn't quite know.

All he wanted was for his wife and their children to be safe. And the doctor and all the medical staff knew what they were doing. They had to have faith in them.

"I know you do," he replied softly, deciding not to tell her that he wasn't feeling too great about himself, either. She had more important things to focus on than either helping him along with his pity party, or yell at him for having a pity party in the first place. "But we're going to get through this, I promise."

C.C. could only groan in return. There must have been another contraction coming, and Niles couldn't help but hope that the doctor would be back with the nurses soon. He could see the birthing chair across the room, and he knew just from looking at it that it would take more than his inexperienced hand at getting his wife comfortable in it.

Luckily for them, Dr Smith and three nurses reappeared barely half an hour later (which to C.C. felt like an eternity). Niles had to admit they were fast and efficient, and given his wife's situation he could only thank God for being in such capable hands.

"Alright, Mrs Brightmore, time to get you settled!" one of the nurses – Nurse Cameron – said as the other two nurses – Nurse Finch and Nurse Jackson – helped C.C. sit up.

"Ready to move, Mrs Brightmore?" Nurse Jackson asked.

"As I'll ever be," C.C. grunted and the two nurses gently got her to her feet after disconnecting her from the medical equipment (except her IV, which was attached to a mobile stand that Nurse Jackson had already grabbed in her hand).

They helped her waddle over to the birthing chair and she eased herself on it. Her back rested comfortably against the cushioned back of the chair (which was slightly reclined) and Nurse Cameron and Nurse Finch carefully placed her feet in the stirrups. The position did help a bit with the pain in her lower back, but it was still terrible.

The pressure was at almost at its zenith, and C.C. had the feeling she'd have to push any moment from then. God knows the tell-tale urge to push was slowly beginning to overpower her. Niles sat on the chair next to hers as the nurses connected her to a foetal monitor and to a heart-rate monitor. He grasped her hand in his, and stoked the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Okay, let's see how we are doing now!" Smith said, taking a seat in the chair settled in the space in front of C.C.. The doctor gently lifted her gown and gasped. "It seems you are fully dilated! Do you have a need to push?"

As she was about to reply, yet another contraction hit her, and the need to push became so foremost in her mind that she began doing so even before the doctor had instructed her to do so.

"I'll take that as a "yes"," Dr Smith was obviously trying his best to keep the atmosphere as light as it could possibly be in that situation. It made C.C. want to put his head through the monitor, but she was a little bit distracted.

She kept her hands on the arms of the chair, gripping as tightly as she could to relieve what little of the pressure doing that would offer. Niles couldn't stay in his seat, especially not as his wife began to push. He had to be up (for some reason it made him feel less restless than being sat), and he placed his hands on her shoulders, massaging them lightly.

C.C. shrugged him off angrily, "Oh, no you don't; that's exactly what got us here in the first place!"

He immediately took his hands away, glancing towards where the nurses were clearly pretending they weren't both listening and amused, and feeling himself turn more than moderately crimson.

"Sorry, love," he said, managing an awkward frown.

C.C. nodded, her face almost completely clearly gearing up for sarcasm, "Oh yeah, sure, you're sorry...! Sorry doesn't push your twins out of my body!"

He knew that her words were only a result of her pain and fear, really, but just for the meantime, they couldn't help but sting. He disliked it intensely when she was upset with him, and doubly so when he knew he was directly the cause of the upset in the first place.

But they had to keep going. They had to both be strong – him for her, and her for herself and their twins.

"You are doing really well, Mrs Brightmore!" Dr Smith exclaimed. "Now I need you to push again!"

Giving an excruciating scream, C.C. blindly reached out for Niles' hand and grasped it as she began to push. The pain was terrible and she was both angry and completely terrified, so she took out some of her frustrations on Niles' hand. Part of her knew he wasn't to blame, but dammit, she hated him so much right then.

Dr Smith guided her throughout the continuous contractions, and slowly her first baby began to go down the birth canal. The intensity of her pain was truly something she'd never thought she'd experience, but it made sense seeing as she hadn't been given an epidural.

She knew that the faster she pushed them out, the faster the pain would go away. That was her incentive to take the pain as it came and simply continue pushing, no matter what.

Eventually, Smith cried out in excitement. "The baby is crowning!"

"You are almost there, sweetheart, just-"

"If you say " _just one more push_ " I will personally see to it that your genitals end up at the bottom of the Hudson River!" C.C. snarled, tightening her grip on Niles' hand, who merely nodded and fell silent again. "That's better."

C.C. then took a deep breath and began pushing again. The pain was at its worst, and she couldn't help but call Niles names she thought she'd never call anyone (she made a mental note to apologise later, of course) as the baby's head, shoulders and body slipped out of her body.

"And she is here!" Dr Smith eventually exclaimed, placing little Hope-Harriet on C.C.'s chest.

The pain wasn't quite gone, but the bliss of having one of her babies with her made up for everything else. She curled her arms around Hope as the baby began to cry, and she began to cry alongside her.

"Niles... she is so beautiful!" C.C. exclaimed, spluttering joyful chuckles. "She is perfect... so perfect..." she suddenly pulled him down for a kiss – a contraction was coming, and she had little time to enjoy the relief of having one baby with her before she had to go back to pushing. "I love you so much, you old maid!" she exclaimed and gave him yet another kiss. "Here, take your daughter, I have another baby to deliver!"

Immediately, his daughter was thrust into his arms by the nurse, and as C.C. began pushing again in order to deliver their little boy, he took his time to examine his youngest daughter. The little bubble of delight in his chest felt marvellous. _His youngest daughter_. He had _two_ daughters. _Amelia and Hope_. And he was about to have a son, too.

 _Three children_. Two girls and a boy. He couldn't believe how lucky he was!

He could already tell that Hope was going to look like her mother, just how Amelia did. There was something in her face which reminded him of C.C., even though Hope's features were screwed up with the discomfort of being in a new, wide open, and very noisy place.

Noisy, because the doctor was yelling instructions to the nurse.

Niles' head snapped up. _Yelling_ instructions to other members of staff couldn't be good.

Smith had said there was a possibility of complications, too...

And the look of fright on his wife's face only seemed to confirm it.

The baby was in distress. He knew it.

"Everything is going to be alright, Mrs Brightmore," Smith was reassuring her. "We'll take you down to the operating theatre and you'll have your little boy in no time at all..."

"What's wrong with the baby?!" C.C. cried out. Everything had been so confusing... she'd been pushing, just like she was supposed to do, and suddenly her doctor had ordered her to stop! "Please... what's wrong with the baby?!"

"The umbilical cord, and the fact that he is breeched," Smith explained, getting C.C.'s feet out of the stirrups. "The cord has tangled itself around his neck, and if you keep pushing it could suffocate him. Not to mention he is bigger than his sister, and the safest way to go about this is performing a C-section on you."

C.C. couldn't help the terror taking over her body – neither could Niles, for that matter. Things had taken a nasty turn, and now both mother and son were in danger.

God... why did it have to be this way?!

"It will be okay, I promise," Dr Smith said, getting to his feet as the nurses wheeled in a gurney and placed it just next to C.C.'s chair. "Now, Mr Brightmore, I need you to give the baby back to Nurse Cameron and move so Nurse Finch, Nurse Jackson and I can move your wife to the gurney, okay?"

Niles was stunned – too stunned to react quickly. Fear, anger, guilt, pain... all those emotions were capering around his mind, but he knew fear was overpowering the rest. His wife's pained wail was what brought him back to reality.

"Niles... Niles please!" C.C. screamed. "Do as they say!"

He somehow managed to move, and in mere seconds Hope was taken away to be cleaned and his wife was moved to the gurney.

The medical staff began running towards the operating theatre, with Niles following them closely. He wasn't going to be allowed into the operation room, but he'd stay by her side until the last moment.

"Niles...!" C.C. whimpered as she was wheeled into the operation theatre. She managed to exchange one last worried look with her husband before the doors closed, separating them for the time being.

That door closing felt so...finalising. It was like silence permeated the entire building around him - no, it was more like a vacuum. No sound, and no air, either.

He couldn't breathe, it was suffocating; all he wanted was for someone to come out and tell him that everything was going to be alright. He knew he couldn't go and see Amelia just then – he'd look too distressed, and it would make her worry, and that was the last thing he wanted...

He couldn't sit. He didn't even try. He paced, and tried to think positive thoughts.

His wife and their son, coming out of that operating room, full of life and ready to be taken home.

Him and his family, all cuddled together on the sofa, basking in the love that being in the same place provided.

Being able to hold his wife in his arms at night as they both dozed off, knowing that their children were asleep and safe in their rooms.

Dark thoughts kept coming in.

The doctor coming out, saying he was sorry but there was nothing they could do. He and C.C. had two daughters they could take home, but that was all.

The doctors coming out, saying he was sorry but there was nothing they could do. His new son and daughter were going to need him more than ever now.

The doctor coming out, saying he was sorry but there was nothing they could do. He could take his daughter home with her older sister.

Each one made him feel sick, like he could die at any moment, but he kept on pacing. He had to trust in the doctor, and in the medical team. He had to trust in his wife's strength. He had to trust that as long as his heart kept beating, hers would, too.

He didn't know for how long he paced, but eventually Nurse Jackson walked out of the operation theatre. He didn't notice her at first – she actually had to call his name twice before getting his attention.

"How is she?! How is my son?!" he exclaimed, desperately clutching at the nurse's upper arms.

The younger woman shushed him gently, and guided him to a chair so he could sit down. The man had been pacing non-stop for over an hour now, he needed to rest.

"Relax, Mr Brightmore, both your wife and your son are perfectly alright," Jackson explained. "The procedure was impeccably performed and both of them are completely safe."

He could swear relief fell upon him like a waterfall, and he allowed himself to plop his back against the chair. They were fine! C.C. and Morgan were fine... his mind had simply conjured up dreadful images that weren't true.

His family was safe, and even if the stay at the hospital was going to be slightly longer, he was elated.

He was so focused in his own musings that he barely heard what Nurse Jackson had just said.

"Mr Brightmore, did you hear me?"

"Uh?" Niles blinked at her confusedly and shook his head. "No... pardon me, I... it's a bit overwhelming, that's all."

The nurse gave him a gentle smile. "I understand. I said that your wife was given general anaesthetic and she is starting to wake up, so she's still a bit out of it. Would you like to see your son?"

What kind of question was that?! Of course he wanted to see his son! Especially after what had happened!

"Yes, please," he said eagerly.

"Then wait here for a moment," the nurse said and went back into the operation theatre.

Only moments later, Nurse Jackson came back out with little bundle in her arms. She was followed closely by Nurse Finch, who was pushing C.C.'s gurney.

They were out!

C.C. was definitely out, that was for sure – she appeared to be still mostly asleep on the gurney, and was quickly wheeled off to her private room. At least, that's where Niles assumed they were taking her.

But just for the moment, he had to focus on the little bundle being handed to him. His son. His little boy. _Morgan_.

He certainly was large, as well, and wriggled to get comfy in this new, strange environment. Niles chuckled, and held him close.

"Hi there," he crooned. "I'm your Daddy..."

It seemed strange that he could now say that to three people, instead of one. But it was fantastic at the same time, and he couldn't feel more proud. Morgan made a vague noise, and Niles laughed softly, a few tears spilling from the corner of his eyes.

"That's right," he told the little boy. "Your Daddy. And you have a Mommy, and two big sisters who all love you very, very much..."

Morgan of course didn't know what any of that meant yet. But he would. In the years to come, he would grow to understand, as he was brought up in a family that adored him. They were a family of five now, and they were going to be closer than hands on a clock that read three fifteen.

He was going to make certain of that.

And speaking of that, he had to get his eldest daughter from the play area. Given the hectic birth C.C.'d had, the girl had been on her own for almost two hours now!

Knowing Amelia, she'd surely be worried, and he couldn't let her suffer like that.

So, he slowly walked back to C.C.'s room, where he placed Morgan inside his designated bassinet. Nurse Cameron was already in the room, and she'd made sure to tuck Hope in before attending to the twins' mother.

"How is she?" Niles asked before heading back out again.

"Waking up!" Nurse Cameron said cheerfully. "Usually Dr Smith keeps the patient inside the operation theatre for an extra twenty minutes after the surgery, so as to monitor they make a smooth and comfortable transition from an anesthetized state to an awakened state. And let me tell you, her transition was excellent."

As if on cue, C.C. began to moan and shift in bed, so Niles decided it truly was time to look for Amelia. He knew C.C. would appreciate her eldest child being there, in the room with her. The play area was at the end of the hallway, and there he found his little girl curled up in a bean bag chair. One of the nurses had given her a blanket, and the girl had dozed off during the delivery. It was no wonder, Niles thought as he looked at the time, it was nearly one in the morning!

He approached her slowly, and gently wrapped his arms around her and lifted her in his arms.

"Hmm...?" Amelia shifted, and buried her head in his shoulder as she mumbled. "Daddy...?"

"That's right, sweetheart," he said tenderly. "It's me. Mommy's had the twins now. You want to go see her?"

"Yeah..." the little girl tightened her arms around his neck, and together they began to make their way towards C.C.'s room.

His wife had her eyes open when they entered, and he beamed at her. She beamed back, after a second or two; she was clearly still a little dozy from the anaesthetic, but appeared fine for the most part.

"Mommy...!" Amelia sleepily reached out for her mother, and C.C. opened her arms to receive her eldest daughter.

She kissed her head, and cuddled her, "Hi, sweetie...! You feeling okay?"

Amelia nodded, "Mm-hm, I slept a little in the play area..."

"Oh," C.C. held her little girl close. "You can sleep even more when you get back home! Now Mommy's had the twins, that won't be long, okay?"

"Are you coming, too?" Amelia looked up at her mother hopefully.

C.C. exchanged a sad look with Niles, who had gone to check on the twins, before looking back down to answer her daughter.

"No, sweetie. Mommy has to stay here for a little while, to get better after having the twins. But your Daddy will be at home with you. And so will Winston, and your Grandpa and Grandmamma - they'll come over lots to see you!"

Amelia couldn't help but take a worried countenance. Her Mommy had to stay? For how long? Was she ill? Had her little brother and sister hurt her? She looked a bit pained, too...

"But how long will you be away?" the little girl asked. "Will I be able to see you?"

"Of course you will, sweetie, but Mommy needs to spend a few days here to get a bit stronger after having your brother and sister," Niles explained, perching on the side of C.C.'s bed and stroking his eldest daughter's hair.

"Really? And will be come over every day to see you and my brother and sister?" Amelia asked, snuggling closer to her mother and playing with the diamond pendant she had gifted her for her birthday a few years ago.

"I promise we will," Niles said. "Now, would you like to meet your brother and sister?"

Amelia's eyes brightened and a beaming smile spread across her beautiful face. It was amazing just how similar she was to C.C...

"Yes! Can I hold them?" the girl asked, sitting up.

"Of course! But I'll help you," her mother said, pressing the button to lift the head of her bed a bit. She couldn't sit on her own yet.

"Sure, Mommy!"

And so, Niles took one twin in each arm, and he then brought them over to their awaiting mother. They needed to be fed, too, so maybe C.C. could feed one as Amelia met the other and then do the same with the other.

So, Niles helped Amelia hold both of her new siblings. The twins needing to feed gave the eldest child plenty of time to get to know them both. She was already proving to be the best big sister she could possibly be, and clearly loved her brother and sister very much, even if they did hurt her Mommy when they were born.

Niles smiled proudly as he watched his children, and he exchanged a grin with his wife.

They had their family. Whole and complete. And no one was going to separate them.

Suddenly, as soon as C.C. had stopped feeding Morgan, her own stomach rumbled, and she started, staring down in the direction of her stomach.

Well, nothing was going to separate them permanently, anyway. A trip downstairs to the medical centre's café was in order - it was close to breakfast by this stage, anyway.

"Are you two hungry?" Niles asked C.C. and Amelia. He knew the answer, but he liked to ask anyway.

"Starving!" Amelia and C.C. said in unison.

"Can you get us something, Daddy?" Amelia asked as Niles took Hope from her arms and back to the basinet next to C.C.'s bed.

"Yeah, can you get us something Hazel?" C.C. said, putting her gown back in place now that the twins had been fed. Niles only needed to burp Morgan (he'd done so for Hope before).

"I don't know, can I?" Niles perched on the side of the bed and pulled Amelia to him and embraced her tightly. He was simply elated! Despite the fear and the complications, they now were a family of five and C.C. and the twins were completely fine.

And to think it had all started by a casual encounter three years ago...

He knew he was a lucky man – he'd known so since Amelia had accepted him into her and her mother's lives. He loved his daughter, and he would forever be grateful for her acceptance.

He tickled her, delighting in the little girl's peals of laughter. She sounded like her mother when she laughed...

"Yes you can, Daddy!" Amelia said in between chuckles.

"I have to agree with our daughter," C.C. cut in as she gently patted Morgan's back. "Not to mention it's the least you can do after I gave birth to your children, right?" C.C. smirked. "And on that note – there is no doubt Morgan is your son! He likes to make my life difficult since day one."

Niles now felt that he could laugh. Now that everyone was safe, there, with him, he could take his wife's words for what they were – humorous, and an attempt at lightening any remaining atmosphere.

She was relieved nothing had happened, too, and she was making a valiant effort to prove that everything was okay.

Niles decided to go along with it, and looked down proudly at Morgan, "That's my boy. Carrying on the proud family tradition."

C.C. rolled her eyes, "Your proud family tradition is going to get things for other people. And you're not doing a very good job of it right now, are you?"

He feigned an unimpressed look, "Forgive me for wanting a little more time with my family before having to go and provide for them. Is there anything you'd like in particular from the cafeteria?"

C.C. pursed her lips, thinking, before declaring, "Surprise me."

She then turned to Amelia. _Their eldest_ , Niles couldn't help but think proudly.

"What about you, sweetie?" she asked, stroking their daughter's hair. "Is there anything in particular you'd like?"

Amelia thought about it, and then shook her head, "I wanna be surprised, too."

Niles grinned. He loved his family so much, and he'd be delighted to get them anything they desired. The fact that they were leaving it up to him was like a sign of their trust – he knew them well enough to know what they'd want, and loved them more than enough to get it.

That was the way it would always be.

So, taking his leave of them for a few minutes, he went down to the cafeteria, purchasing items which were sweet, but could also be considered some kind of proper breakfast – pastries, juice, a small carton of milk with a straw for Amelia, decaf coffee and tea...

Just like he would do at home. Because really, it didn't matter where they were. It didn't matter how old they were. It didn't matter who shared blood or didn't. They were a family, and were meant to be.

And wherever his family was, he knew that home was there, too.


	28. Chapter 28

**_Epilogue_**

Amelia was nervous...

Well, maybe not nervous, but she was definitely _restless_. She'd been sat in that cafe for two hours now, and despite the fact that she'd mentally prepared herself for what would happen any moment from then, she'd started to think that maybe this hadn't been the best of ideas.

Granted, she'd talked to Patrick several times over the course of her twenty years of age, but actually meeting him – vis-à-vis and with no one but themselves present – was proving to be a bit of a strain on her nerves.

She'd come up with the idea last spring, when she'd begun planning her trip to Europe – the latter was a birthday gift from her parents. She had planned to spend her entire summer break touring Europe; among her destinations were England, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece… and it had somehow occurred to her that making Edinburgh her last stop would be a rather good idea. Not only because it would give her the opportunity to tour a new city, but also because she'd get to meet her biological father. Even if she'd never had doubts concerning who her real father was, she did have questions that needed answering. And the only person who could answer them, was Patrick McLaughlin. Her biological father.

So, after speaking with her parents about her idea to meet Patrick and getting their unconditional support, Amelia had arranged to meet him at The Elephant House, the coffee shop where Amelia's favourite author had written her first book. It had become a tourist attraction in the last years, and it seemed like a good place to meet Patrick. It was a public and concurred place – perfect to meet a man who, in a certain sense, was a stranger to her.

They had agreed to meet at 12:00 o' clock – just in time for lunch – but Amelia had been so anxious that she'd arrived there at 10:00 a.m.

But now, only mere minutes separated her from seeing her biological father...

Five minutes, to be precise.

Five minutes which she spent fiddling with the beautiful promise ring Jonah Sheffield had given her a week before she'd travelled to Europe. They'd spent so much time together, everyone said, that they were surprised they hadn't become a couple before now. Well, most people laughed and joked about it – her mother, and Jonah's mother did, anyway. Her father, on the other hand, hadn't exactly been thrilled.

Then again, she could have been in a relationship with a charity-donating, charming, animal-rescuing billionaire, and her father would have found something not to love. He wanted to protect his little girl from everything he possibly could, even if said little girl was now in college and could drive a car. That was probably why he'd been acting so strange on the way to the airport. He was apprehensive about her going to Europe by herself. She supposed it was only natural for him to worry. She was five thousand miles away from home, and her family. Anything could happen in the meantime.

But Amelia knew, when this was all over and done with, she could go back home and see them. She'd missed them, for all of that time. This was the last thing she needed to do, and it seemed to be about to start as the door to the coffee shop opened, and a set of footsteps came closer.

"...Amelia?" an unsure voice asked.

She looked up from her coffee, into eyes which reminded her of her father.

Well, if she was being honest, the eyes were just one of the many features which were outstanding similar to her father's. Heck, the man himself was amazingly alike her Daddy! But the hair... the hair was different.

The hair _she_ had inherited.

She couldn't quite explain what she felt when she began to notice the many physical similarities between her and the man who had helped conceive her – the hair, the eyes, the shape of her ears...

Those were undeniable proofs that the man before her was, indeed, the man who had fathered her (biologically speaking, of course). It was like she was finally facing a part of her story which, until then, had been a mystery (and purely because she had chosen it to remain that way). She didn't hate Patrick, not in the slightest, but there had been a part of her that had been reluctant to meet him when she was younger. Mainly because she was extremely attached to her Daddy, and facing her birth father simply had been too much for her to bear. Not because she doubted what she felt for her father – Niles was her father, biology be damned – but because she hadn't known how to face Patrick; in truth, she still didn't know how to face a man she had rejected in favour of another.

That was one of the things she needed to discuss with him – her choosing Niles over him. She would never change her mind about who her father was, though – she and Niles might not share the same blood, but he was her father, and that wasn't going to change.

But she would never get to discuss anything if she didn't speak, she thought as she put on a smile and got to her feet. She needed to talk to get to that point.

"Yes! Hi, Patrick," she said and gave him a quick hug. It was only brief. She didn't feel comfortable allowing it to last too long, and she gestured to the chair at the table that she hadn't taken.

"Please, have a seat," she offered.

Patrick smiled, and nodded, "Thank you."

They took their chairs, and the waitress came over to see if anything was needed. Patrick ordered a glass of water, and Amelia thought about ordering something to eat, but decided against it. This was too nerve-wracking a moment to really eat.

"So, how are your parents?" Patrick asked, taking a sip of his water.

"Oh, they're fine," Amelia took a sip of what was left of her own drink, before replacing it on the table. "My dad...he was kind of weird about me going on this trip, but I guess it's understandable."

"Oh, absolutely," the Scottish man replied. "I mean, you're so many miles away! Any good parent would naturally be concerned."

She was grateful that Patrick had eased her into this by asking after her parents. It relaxed her somewhat. When she was younger, she had kept thinking that maybe if he met her, he'd want her to forget about what she had back at home, and start treating him like he was the only father she had. She was glad that that didn't seem to be the case. At least, not right away. They still had to get into the fine details of what they were going to talk about.

"Yeah..." Amelia said, finally feeling confident enough to start browsing the menu. "You can't imagine just how hard it was for them when I first moved out of the house when I started college!"

"I can imagine," the man said, offering her a warm smile. "I remember the feeling when my eldest, Berenice, left for college herself! What are you studying, by the way?"

So she had more siblings... her mother had told her Patrick had children of his own, but she'd never asked how many kids he had nor what their names were. She could ask about that later.

"I am studying art in Yale," she replied airily. "Hopefully, I'll get my degree in another year or two."

"That's impressive!" Patrick exclaimed. Amelia could see the pride in his eyes – she had seen it in her Daddy's eyes when she'd first told him she had been accepted in Yale. His eyes then wandered over to her left hand and they widened a little. He had seen the promise ring, but seeing as Fran had helped Jonah choose it, it was a bit more impressive (and expensive) than the regular promise ring, and it wasn't uncommon for people to confuse it with a relatively simple engagement ring.

"It's a promise ring," Amelia quickly clarified. "My boyfriend Jonah gave it to me this summer."

"Oh... he certainly sounds like a nice boy!" the man said. "And I am glad things are going so well between you two."

Amelia smiled. "Thanks. He was a childhood friend. Anyway, I am ready to order, would you like something, too?"

"Oh, that would be lovely, but just for the record, this lunch is on me," the man said. Amelia didn't argue – she knew she should allow him this.

After both of them had ordered their food – a smoked salmon for Amelia and a warm salad with toasted vegetables for Patrick – Amelia took a deep breath and braced herself. It was time to talk.

Patrick sensed this, too, and he kindly got the ball running.

"So… you wanted to see me..."

"Yes..." Amelia sighed. "I guess I just have some... questions."

He nodded, almost encouraging her to speak.

"Questions regarding my... _choices_ ," the young woman took yet another deep breath. She didn't want to beat around the bush, and part of her suspected Patrick would appreciate her being straightforward. "Are you... are you angry at me for choosing my father over you?"

Patrick almost looked shocked for a moment, and Amelia was worried that his answer would be yes.

Yes, he was angry that his own flesh and blood wanted someone else and not him.

Yes, he was angry that she had come all this way just to reject him, all over again, to his face.

Yes, he was angry that she was going to go back to America and to the man who had taken his place.

But none of that came out.

"Oh, of course not!" he nearly cried out. "How could I be? Your father is a good and honourable man, clearly, and he obviously loves you more than words can express. And I...well, if I'd been there – known about you – things might have been different. But they weren't. And he was there. You grew up with him being there, and him being with your mother. It was...only natural, really, that I was the interloper. Biology doesn't change who we love, and consider our family. I wouldn't expect you to give him up for someone you didn't know."

She was relieved that he wasn't angry, but his words made Amelia quickly wonder if he was expecting her to give her Daddy up now, after a little more talking. She was technically getting to know Patrick now, after all. Would he want her to start gravitating more towards him, to consider him her father?

She knew she couldn't do that. She might hurt him by saying so, but she refused to give up the father she already had. But she wasn't going to test those waters. Instead, she just nodded, and took a breath to ask her next question.

"Alright... but as you say, if… if things had been different, you would have liked to be my father, right?"

Why she was asking this? She didn't know. Patrick had always been this strange, faceless man – just a voice at the other end of the phone, she dared to say – to whom she owed being born, but she'd never had any type of emotional attachment to him whatsoever. Her mother had always told her that he had agreed to let her choose what father she wanted, and although she was grateful for him doing so, she couldn't understand why he'd done it.

Any other man would have demanded his right to be recognised as her father, but Patrick had allowed her to choose. He had given her the opportunity to continue her happy life in New York, even if that had meant that he'd be just a stranger to her. An important stranger who occasionally called, but nothing more than that.

What she meant to say was, why had he been so _selfless_? It couldn't be that he didn't want her – his calls and his worrying for her were proof that he did care for her! So why had he given her up?

 _Why_?!

"What I mean to say is..." she gulped, feeling her voice was becoming strained with emotion, "Why did you allow me to choose? Why didn't you demand your right to be my father, like many other men would have done in your position?"

Patrick cocked his head to the side and sighed. It wasn't a disappointed or reproachful sigh, but rather a heartfelt one. Almost as though seeing her in this state was distressing to him. Gently, he reached out for her hand and squeezed it.

"Because I love you," he offered.

Amelia gaped at him for a few moments before stuttering, "Wh-what?!"

"I gave you a choice, because I love you. Amelia, when I first found about you I was surprised, yes, but elated, too. I had four children already, but knowing that I had another one filled me with joy. Now, the curious thing about being a parent, is that what you feel or want will never matter as much as how your children feels or what they want; the only thing you want for them is happiness," he stopped for a moment to take a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Amelia so she could dry her tearful eyes. "You are my biological daughter, Amelia, and as such I only want the best for you. I gave you a choice because I love you and I only want you to be happy. And if your father makes you happy, then I would never try and change your mind. As I said before, Niles is an honourable man and he will always be your father because he raised you. I gave you the choice because as long as you are happy and safe, then I am happy, too. I know I am a stranger to you in many ways, and I'd love it if we could have some type of relationship; but I would never demand you to choose me as your father when you clearly have one already. And he's done a wonderful job, if I might say."

Amelia let out a sobbed breath, and dabbed at her eyes.

She couldn't believe he was really accepting her decision like this. She still remembered, to this day, the first phone call she'd had with Patrick. She remembered how much she'd worried that he'd make her call him Daddy, when he wasn't.

She remembered how she'd feared he'd take her away from her real Daddy, when that was the last thing she wanted.

But he wasn't. He had accepted her choice – that Niles was her father, and not him.

He'd still be in her life, obviously. But he was at peace with the fact that he wasn't really family, and that there was a home for her somewhere else, with a mother and a father that she adored more than anyone.

She sniffed, trying to slow her tears, "Thank you..."

Patrick gave her a small smile, and took her hand again so that he could help her dab at the tears with the handkerchief, "Come on, dry those eyes. I can understand that must have been difficult to ask, but I'm glad you did. It clears the air. Gives us both some peace of mind, you know?"

Amelia nodded, and allowed him to have his handkerchief back.

He folded it and put it back into his jacket pocket only moments before the waitress came with their meal. Seeing as they had forgotten to order their drinks, they took the opportunity to ask the waitress for them – a diet coke for Amelia and sprinkle water for Patrick.

They didn't say anything for quite a long time, and Amelia suspected he was giving her time to calm down after the hard questions she'd made. She didn't really know if Patrick had questions of his own, but considering he had so kindly answered to her questions, she'd be happy to answer his if he had them.

And indeed, the man didn't exactly have questions, but rather a confession to make.

"You know, for many years I felt guilty," Patrick said, using his fork to play with his salad.

"For what?"

"For not being there..." the man sighed, "You see, when I first met your mother she was in a... bad place, emotionally speaking. She was trying to start anew and I remember helping her out with that. Even back then she was in love with your father..."

He trailed off, almost as if bracing himself for what was to come. Amelia knew about the circumstances of her mother's encounter with Patrick, and part of her couldn't believe her mother had been so... _unwell_. She had turned her life around when she'd found out she was pregnant, and Amelia didn't know quite how to feel about that, either. Had she been a sort of saviour to her mother? An incentive to turn her life around? Those questions couldn't really be answered by Patrick, but his testimony could help her have an idea of what her mother had been going through at the time of her birth.

And judging by Patrick's words, she hadn't had it easy… which made her decision to have her a lot more valuable in Amelia´s eyes. She was thankful for Patrick helping her mother out, so if he'd helped her out, why would he feel guilty?

Did he regret helping her?

"What... what do you feel guilty for?"

"Well... mainly for not being there. She was recovering and I... I got her pregnant and left. She had to do everything by herself and then... then you had to grow up without a father until Niles came along!" Patrick looked away from her, almost as though he was ashamed of himself. "I know it's irrational, but I've always felt guilty for leaving you two alone until your father came along."

Amelia frowned. She knew now that her mother had been in a bad place, and but she'd also known that Patrick had left the country before anyone had found out about her. C.C. had told her so, plenty of times.

"It wasn't your fault, though," she told him gently. "It wasn't anyone's fault. It was...an _accident._ "

It was weird to essentially describe herself that way, but how else could she put it? The entire thing had been one huge accident. A mistake. Which, of course, she doubted her mother could regret entirely because she'd gotten her from it, but a mistake nonetheless.

"I know," Patrick sighed. "I just...couldn't help but feel bad. Your mother was my friend, and I can't help but feel like I let her down."

"But you didn't let her down," Amelia stated. "You might not have been there, but, conscious of it or not, you gave her an incentive to turn her life around. If she'd been in a bad place, she wasn't by the time I was old enough to remember things. She had me, and that helped her. And then by having me, she reconnected with my father, and we became a family. So you helped her, Patrick, in more ways than you could have known, and I think that she'd thank you for it."

Tentatively, he looked up at her and gave her a half smile. "Hearing you say this means a lot, you know? Thank you."

This time it was Amelia who reached out for her biological father's hand and held it in hers. They were clearing the air and getting rid of burdens they'd carried around for years, and it felt good...

"And thank you, for giving me the chance to live and then to choose," Amelia said. "You can be in my life, if you want, you know, but as my mother said in the past – I'll call you Patrick."

The man nodded. "I can accept that. I'd love to be part of your life as some kind of..."

"Family friend, maybe?" Amelia offered.

"Family friend it is, then!"

The two shared a laugh before they fell silent once again. They'd talked about everything they needed to talk about, and now they could enjoy the rest of the meal in peace. It took a little while, but gradually conversation – this time light and unimportant – began to flown again. It was a really nice lunch, and once they were done, Patrick paid for the meal and offered to drive Amelia back to her hotel, the Waldorf Astoria.

She was due to return to the US the following morning, and she still needed to pack! She actually couldn't wait to meet her parents and her younger siblings...

But right then, she focused on the man that had, for better or for worse, given her life. The man that had so kindly given her a choice – the man that had put her happiness before his. She valued her birth father, and his selflessness was what made her choose to permit Patrick to be in her life.

In a sense, she was quite lucky to have such wonderful fathers – biological and adoptive.

They hugged each other goodbye (and this time she allowed the hug to extend for a little while) and she went back into her hotel, ready and anxious to go back home.

* * *

Niles' sigh broke the silence that reigned inside the Brightmore kitchen. Dawn had just broken, but he'd been there for hours now.

Amelia was coming back today... she'd arrive in three hours, judging by the time.

He hadn't slept at all that night. He'd tossed and turned so much, he thought C.C. would wake up to kick him out of bed, so he decided to save her the trouble and got up himself.

He'd tried – desperately – to get some kind of rest. But he just couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw images of Amelia coming home, greeting her mother and her brother and sister...and not greeting him. Not even _looking_ at him.

He could hear her now, chatting and laughing with everyone else in the house, telling them about all the wonderful sights she'd seen in Europe...

And then he could imagine her on the phone, and he knew who would be on the other end. It would be Patrick. She'd be telling him that she landed safely, and would go on to tell him about all the things she planned to do now that she was back.

And then she'd hang up the phone, having said " _Goodbye, Daddy_."

Thinking it over again almost made Niles drop the glass of water he'd poured himself and had been not sipping.

Three hours. In three hours time, he was about to greet her at the airport. In three hours, he'd actually hear it from her own lips.

 _"Hi, Niles"._

He'd never hear her call him "Daddy" again. That title surely belonged to Patrick now. Her real father. And they'd spend time together, catch up on all the years he'd been absent from her life, and Niles would see himself not so ceremoniously edged out.

They'd go on trips together. She'd meet Patrick's other children. They'd form a new family, together, and she'd forget that he was ever the one who read to her at night, or played with her in the park, or held her when she cried.

It wouldn't matter, because why wouldn't she prefer her real father?

He'd be there, at Amelia's wedding, reduced to watching as Patrick gave her away, while he remained "the stepfather". Allowed to be there because he loved her mother, but not necessarily more welcome than that.

In three hours time, he'd know for sure he'd sent his daughter away, and let a stranger come home.

That thought alone made him want to cry.

He had been wary of this trip since Amelia had told them about her intentions of meeting Patrick, but he'd kept his feelings under wraps and had given his daughter – if he still could call her that way – his support.

He didn't want to give her up...

He'd thought he'd never feel this horrible feeling of dread again – the last time being when Patrick had first discovered Amelia existed – but fate simply didn't agree with his wishes. He had kept his pain hidden from his children and his wife during these past weeks, but Niles was afraid that he wouldn't be able to do it anymore if Amelia greeted him by his name. If that happened – and deep down he just knew it would happen – he'd probably break down right there.

Figuring it was time to start making breakfast (not to mention he'd appreciate the distraction) he got to his feet and started up his family's meal.

As usual, he could hear two sets of feet rushing downstairs the moment the delicious smell of food wafted upstairs.

The twins were awake.

"Morning, Daddy!" Hope exclaimed and gave him a hug.

"Hey Dad," Morgan greeted him. It was remarkable just how much he looked like Niles at the age of only twelve.

Niles almost couldn't bring himself to reply, but he wrestled a smile on his face and attempted to at least appear alright.

"Hey, kiddos, did you sleep well?"

"Not as well as you, I'm sure," a fourth and very familiar voice said from behind him. He could easily detect the hind of sarcasm in C.C.'s voice... she knew he hadn't slept.

She planted a kiss on his cheek, and gave him a very quick but very tight hug. He knew that she was probably just trying to provide some reassurance; he didn't know why he'd tried to hide everything from her when she could always see right through him.

They'd probably talk about it when the kids weren't in the room, but he didn't know what he'd say. What way could he say it that didn't make him sound selfish? " _I'm afraid that Amelia doesn't want me now she has Patrick and I can't bear it_ " sounded so...wrong, considering she had to make the choice.

It was all well and good being distraught by it in his head, but when it came right down to it, it would be up to Amelia. And that was what was killing him, because why wouldn't she choose her real father? She'd made the decision to pick him when she was young, but she was older now, and she'd actually met Patrick. She could make a comparison.

 _Oh God_ , an even worse thought had just popped into his head. The thought that everything would be normal when she came home, but she'd start to make comparisons, and slowly decide she preferred Patrick to him.

He'd lose her in front of his very eyes.

He felt the coffee pot being taken from his hands, and snapped back to the present as he registered his wife putting the pot back in the machine, and taking the toast from the toaster to slide a piece onto a plate each. She then slicked them with butter, and put one plate in front of each of the twins.

There was more breakfast still to come, but it would keep them going for the moment.

The worry was awful, and it was clearly distracting him from taking care of the rest of his family. The family he loved and adored, and couldn't bear to lose.

But he was losing it, a dark part of his mind kept repeating. Without Amelia, his family wasn't complete – it would never be complete...

Even if the decision was up to her, he would never stop seeing her as his daughter. And that made everything even more painful. He had to keep it under wraps for now; there was no sense (not to mention it wouldn't be correct) to worry their other children or C.C..

So he went back to preparing their breakfast, and he then proceeded to serve it to his children and his wife. She gave him comforting looks throughout their meal, and as soon as Hope and Morgan had finished their food, she ordered them to get dressed and ready to go pick their sister up from the airport.

He knew she wanted to talk, so he didn't even attempt to begin cleaning the cutlery and the rest of the kitchen utensils he'd used to prepare breakfast. And indeed, once the twins were out of sight, C.C. closed the door and went back to the table, only this time she chose to sit on his lap.

He basked in the feeling of his wife's arms around him, and in the feeling of her cheek pressed against his.

"What's so wrong that you couldn't even share a bed with your wife last night?" she asked, threading her fingers through his hair. "You do know that this trip won't change anything, right?"

 _Damn_... she really did know him.

"And how do you know that?" he said listlessly, knowing there was no sense in lying about his worries. Especially since his wife could read him like a book. "How do you know that she... that Amelia…?"

Niles trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to voice his fears, it simply hurt too much.

Sighing, C.C. cupped his cheek and used her palm to direct his face towards hers.

"Because you _are_ her father," she said. Her voice was gentle, and yet somehow firm at the same time, like she meant it with love but she was still trying to drive it into his head. "She chose you, right from the start!"

He shook his head, trying to look away and feeling his eyes pricking with tears, "People change their minds all the time, though. Especially when circumstances change."

C.C. ran her thumb over his cheek, "What's changed, Niles?"

He let out a heavy, huffed breath. He wasn't getting away with this one, clearly.

"She's met _him_ now," he replied, the words sitting uncomfortably in his mouth. "Why would she come back and see me the same way, after having met her real father? She'll get to know him, and I won't matter so much. Not when she can finally connect to her real family."

"You are her real family," C.C. insisted, actually heartbroken that he'd talk about himself this way. Like he didn't matter. "More than Patrick, even if he is her biological father."

He made a vague noise, one that almost sounded like a snort. He was just too afraid... afraid of losing his first daughter! The little girl he'd helped raise since she was five years old.

He loved her, and he didn't want to give her up to anyone.

"Niles, please," C.C. crooned, tightening her grip on him. "I know Amelia, and you are her father. She's chosen you several times over the years, and she still does. I am sure meeting him won't change anything – you are her father. You will always be her father."

He really didn't know what to answer to that. He wanted to argue because he was almost certain he'd be replaced, but he knew his wife wouldn't agree with him. The stress of the moment – or rather, the stress of all the weeks Amelia had been gone – finally got to him, and he only wrapped his arms around his wife and cried.

He kept his face hidden in the crook of her neck as he wept, and C.C. held him as she repeated soothing words.

"It's okay, lover, it's okay," C.C. hummed, rubbing his back.

He appreciated her understanding and her willingness to let him cry out his worries, but eventually he forced himself to stop. No matter what happened, they still had to go and pick Amelia up at the airport, and in order to do that, both of them needed to get ready.

"Are you sure? We still have some time if you need," C.C. told him when he voiced that they'd better get moving.

"I... I'm sure. I just... I need to take my mind off of this for a little while," Niles said as both he and C.C. got to their feet.

It killed C.C. to see him so desolate and heartbroken... he didn't deserve it.

"Alright," she cupped his cheek and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "Let's get ready to go then."

And so, a good hour and a half later, the couple and their youngest children were all ready to go. They all got into the family car and Niles sped off towards the airport, dark thoughts still swivelling inside his mind.

* * *

Amelia groaned as she struggled to put her third suitcase on her baggage cart. Her grandmother Marie may or may not have had a point when she'd said she had gone overboard with the shopping, but well... she couldn't do anything about it now!

Luckily it was the last piece of luggage she'd brought with her. She was all ready to go!

She couldn't wait to see her family nor to actually sleep on her bed. The flight had been exhausting, and she'd barely slept the night before, so she truly needed to rest...

But first things first – she had to get to her family. More specifically, she had to get to her Dad. Her encounter with Patrick had been freeing in many aspects, but it had also made her crave to be with her father.

Because no amount of talking would ever change who held that title for her – Niles Brightmore, the man who had raised her, who had loved her and called her his own when he had no obligation to do so. She had chosen him, and he had chosen her, and she had missed him for all the time that she'd been gone.

She wanted nothing more than to be able to hug him again. She wanted her family – her siblings, her Mom, and the man she still called Daddy, even though she was an adult and all her friends had long since given up doing the same thing for their own parents.

She didn't care. It was the name she'd chosen for him, back when she'd still been a child. She couldn't give it up any more than she could give up the man himself. Heck, giving it up would be like she was giving up the man himself!

She wheeled her cases towards the exit, passing through without declaring anything. She could feel herself picking up speed, eager. She knew they'd be waiting just the other side. It had felt like an eternity since she'd last seen them, and she needed to be near them again...

And as the gate opened, no longer separating her from that part of the airport, she scanned the crowds...

And there they were, over to one side, and waiting patiently.

She waved at them enthusiastically, "Mom! Daddy!"

Amelia practically dashed towards her parents, pushing the cart as fast as she could. For some reason she had tears in her eyes – so did her father, for that matter.

She had never seem him smile so much in her life, not even when the twins had been born. It was almost like a titanic burden had just been removed from his shoulders. It was then when it dawned on her that maybe his father had been wary of her going on the trip not only because of the distance, but also for her encounter with her biological father.

She clearly remembered the time when she'd been the one afraid of her dad not loving her anymore and had consequently ran away. She also distinctively remembered how the man had actually gone out and looked for her. He had reassured her that nothing would ever change what he felt for her, and maybe this time it was her turn to reassure him that they'd always be father and daughter.

"Mia!" the twins exclaimed, getting to her first and hugging her.

"We missed you!" Hope said.

"Yeah! I missed having someone to annoy – the house was boring without you," Morgan offered.

"You sure did, you little pests," Amelia replied, hugging them back. When it came to their relationship, the three siblings adored to tease each other like their parents did to each other. "Good to know I have my two minions back."

"Such a heart-warming reunion!" her mother said sarcastically before she enveloped her in a hug. "Welcome back, sweetie."

"Hey, Mom..." Amelia muttered, hugging her back.

And then, as C.C. pulled away, she saw her father coming over, his eyes still watery. She smiled at him.

"Hey stranger," the young woman teased, hoping he'd remember the words he'd used when he'd found her sitting at the MET stairs. "Would it be alright if I hug you..." her grin widened, "... _Daddy_?"

And Niles felt like all the burdens of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He'd been so afraid that she wouldn't ever call him that again – that the title belonged to someone else now, and that this entire collection would be the end.

But it wasn't. C.C. was right. Nothing had changed.

He'd just had to hear it from Amelia herself. _His daughter_. Forever.

He choked out a combination of a laugh and a sob, and beamed all the while, opening his arms, "Of course you can hu- _oof_!"

His words were cut off by Amelia throwing herself at him, and wrapping her arms around him in the warmest, tightest embrace she could muster. He hugged her back, relishing in the feeling of having his daughter back with him, and thanking God that she had definitely decided that this was where she belonged. This was where she wanted to be.

"So," he sniffed a little as he rubbed her back. "I am still your father?"

"You weren't ever not my father," Amelia replied, squeezing him tighter briefly and then releasing him just enough to look in his eyes. The eyes she shared with him. "Who else helped me with my homework, made special breakfasts on weekends, sang and tucked me in at night? Who came to look for me, that day I left the house thinking that I wasn't loved, and reassured me that I was his daughter and could never be anything less than loved? It was all you. And I'm grateful every day for you. My father, who I have to reassure, here and now, that I never forgot the promise we made. I am your daughter, no one else's, and that's not ever gonna change."

"Oh... sweetheart..." Niles choked out, floods of tears leaking from his eyes. He held her close – closer than ever before. The fear of not having this had been irrational and unreasonable, but C.C. had been right, he had nothing to fear.

Clearly meeting Patrick had just been something she needed to do; as she'd said, to get some answers. Answers that neither he nor C.C. could have given her. He wasn't going to ask what she'd asked her biological father – it didn't matter, really. Not when it hadn't affected their bond as father and daughter.

He was just glad that he could hold his daughter again.

"I love you, Daddy," Amelia mumbled, allowing her tears to fall and wet his shirt.

"And I love you, _Little One_..."

Amelia chuckled. Little One? She was twenty years old! It had been years since he'd last called her that way, but maybe it was his way of expressing that she'd always be his little girl, even when she was forty years old.

"My God..." C.C.'s voice suddenly called, getting both Niles and Amelia's attention. "You two are a pair of saps! She spends only two months in Europe, and it's a cry fest!"

Father and daughter gave C.C. an unimpressed look. They knew she was joking – that she was attempting to lighten the atmosphere that had become incredibly emotional. Amelia had grown up witnessing her parents' witty wordplay, and as she grew older she'd begun participating in them. If there was something that could be said about the Brightmores, was that they all had a quick and rapier wit.

"Forgive us for having _feelings_ ," Amelia retorted.

"Yes, sometimes we forget that you don't have any," Niles joined in, delighted in the amused grin that this produced on Amelia's face.

C.C. folded her arms, pretending to be offended, "Well, I never would have expected that my own husband and daughter don't think I have any feelings!"

"Oh, sometimes we slip up and think you might," Niles smirked, putting his free arm around Hope. "But then we remember that you need to be human to understand the concept of human emotions."

"I'm this close to taking the keys and driving home by myself, you know," C.C. held her finger and thumb a little way apart, before turning and taking one of Amelia's suitcases and preparing to drag it towards the exit.

"Hey, what about us, Mom?" Morgan piped up, also feigning that he was insulted.

C.C. turned and pointed between her son and his twin.

"You two are accomplices. And I don't seem to recall either one of you coming to defend me when your father and older sister decided to slander my good name."

Niles released his children and grabbed another suitcase, leaving Amelia to take the last one, "Oh, please; "good name"? _You_? I've never heard of anything so ridiculous in all my life!"

"That's it! You are sleeping in the couch tonight," C.C. said, sticking her nose up in the air. She then turned to her three children and pointed a warning finger at them. "And as for _you three_ ; the only reason why I am not leaving you here is simply because I am still legally and financially responsible for you."

Amelia rolled her eyes at her mother. She'd heard the same threat countless times before. "Whatever you say Mom... now, can we please get moving? I know sleep or tiredness aren't usually a problem for demons such as yourself, but I am in desperate need of my bed."

C.C. stopped on her tracks and narrowed her eyes at Amelia. She almost couldn't bite back a grin... they weren't the perfect family, by any means, but they certainly were happy, and it showed in peculiar ways such as rounds of witticisms.

"You truly are your father's daughter, Amelia!" C.C. said.

"Why? Because I love making your life a little harder a day at a time?" the young woman replied with a smirk.

"No," C.C. gave her eldest child a condescending pat on the head. "Because you think you are funny and most of the times you are not."

And with that, the blonde turned on her heels and sauntered towards the exit, the twins hot on her heels.

Niles and Amelia stared at each other, astounded and amused in equal measure. She let out a quiet, shocked laugh, and then they turned to face the backs of C.C., Hope, and Morgan, who were all getting smaller as they got further away.

"You're not going to just lie down and take that, are you?" Niles asked Amelia.

Amelia quirked an eyebrow at him, looking all the more like him, and the thought of that made his heart want to burst.

"Are you?" she retorted.

She really was his. Little things like this only proved it all the more.

After looking between her and their rapidly departing family a couple of times, he nodded.

"You're right," he grabbed at the case he'd taken and the one C.C. had left behind, and began to march off after them. "Let's get after them!"

Stifling her laughter, Amelia took her remaining suitcase and followed him after their family.

She'd missed this, when she was gone. Meeting Patrick had been nice, but her true family was right here, in front of her. Coming back felt like coming home – it _was_ coming home, and she didn't want to leave again, for as long as she could help it. She knew she would never go anywhere else permanently, either.

She hadn't had to go anywhere to know that this was where she belonged.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **AN: Well, we've gotten to the end of yet another story! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing (we'd still love to listen tou your opinions about the three last chapters, though :-P) and we hope you enjoyed the ride!**

 **Until the next story!**

 **H &L**


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